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R154.C73  C73  1 899  Cornelius  George  Com 


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College  of  ^Jpsiiciansf  anb  burgeons; 
Hilirarp 


G0RIEL1U8  GEORGE  GflMEGYS,M.D. 


HIS  LIFE  AND  CAREER 

IN  THE 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  CINCINNATI 

FOR  NEARLY 

HALF  A  CENTURY 


WITH  APPENDIX 


BY 
CHARLES  GEORGE  COMEGYS,  A.  B.,  LL.  B. 


^ 


CINCINNATI 
PUBIylSHED  BY  TH:^  FAMII^Y 

1899 


PRESS    OF    S.    ROSENTHAL   &    CO 

15-27    WEST    SIXTH    ST. 

CINCINNATI. 


i 

o 


=5: 


O  the  memofy  of  my  mother, 

Rebecca  Tiffin  Gomegys, 
the  noble  help-meet  of  her  husband,  this  book 
is  affectionately  dedicated. 


Sleep  sweetly^  tender  heart,  in  peace. 
Sleep  to  the  end,  true  soul  and  sweet ; 
Sleep,  holy  spirit,  blessed  dead. 
While  the  stars  burn,  the  moons  increase. 
And  the  great  ages  onward  roll.** 


PREFACE 


THIS  memoir  is  written  to  preserve,  in  a  brief  way,  some 
of  the  incidents  and  events  wliich  characterized  the  life 
and  career  of  Dr.  C.  G.  Comkgys.  While  it  is  intended  es. 
pecially  for  his  family,  relatives,  and  friends,  it  is  hoped  that 
it  may  also  interest  those  who  have  been  associated  with,  or 
have  been  beneficiaries  of,  the  institutions  with  which  he  was 
connected  and  for  whose  interests  he  labored.  In  whatever 
character  he  bore  himself — as  a  physician,  a  churchman,  a 
citizen,  a  member  of  city  and  educational  boards — he  sank  his 
individuality,  and  acted  only  for  the  public  welfare.  It  may, 
at  some  future  day,  be  a  gratification  to  his  descendants  to 
contemplate  that,  by  his  self-abnegation,  and  the  voluntar}'- 
giving  up  of  opportunities  of  personal  pecuniary  advan- 
tage  to    help    others,    he    gained    a    greater  reward. 

This  account,  however,  would  be  incomplete  were  no 
mention  made  of  her  who,  for  over  fifty  years,  entered  into 
the  joys  and  sorrows,  the  triumphs  and  defeats  of  his  life. 
In  addition,  therefore,  to  the  dedication  which  has  been  made, 
a  brief  sketch  is  appended  of  a  life  which,  though  full  of  good 
deeds,  can  merely  be  outlined  in  this  book. 

CHARLES  G.  COMEGYS. 
Cincinnati,  February  10,  1899. 


CORNELIUS  GEORGE  COMEGYS,  M.  D. 


TT  would  not  be  possible,  in  a  brief  sketcli,  to 
present  a  complete  History  of  tlie  career  of 
Dr.  Comegys.  His  life  was  full  of  many  in- 
cidents, and  be  lived  for  others,  rather  than 
for  himself.  Possessed  of  the  highest  ideals 
and  the  utmost  purity  of  thought,  his  charac- 
ter was  too  earnest  for  the  frivolities  of  life. 
He  felt  that  he  had  a  duty  to  perform,  and  he 
cast  himself  into  the  work,  body  and  soul. 

A  love  for  his  fellow  men  filled  his  heart, 
and  his  one  great  impulse  was  to  aid  in  the 
improvement  of  the  mind  as  well  as  to  heal 
the  body,  and  to  give  to  all  persons  equal  oppor- 
tunities of  education.  The  value  of  this  he 
believed  to  be  greater  than  riches  ;  and,  though 
a  busy  man  in  his  profession,  he  devoted  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  to  active  and  indefatig- 


8  CORNKLIUS   GEORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

able  efforts  in  the  cause  of  education.  Thus, 
over  forty  years  were  spent  in  the  faculties  of 
the  medical  colleges  and  hospitals,  in  the 
School  Board,  and  in  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  the  University  of  Cincinnati. 

He  was  a  friend  to  young  men  especially, 
both  by  words  of  counsel,  and  by  active  en- 
deavors to  aid  them  in  obtaining  employment. 
In  this,  too,  his  efforts  were  always  disinter- 
ested and  often  to  his  own  disadvantage.  In 
the  sick-room  his  skill  and  ready  sympathy 
won  the  hearts  of  his  patients,  and  caused 
him  to  be  regarded  as  the  confidential  friend, 
as  well  as  the  medical  adviser. 

Cornelius  George  Comegys  was  born  July 
23,  18 16,  on  an  old  ancestral  farm,  called 
'^ Cherbourg",  near  Dover,  Kent  County,  Dela- 
ware. His  father  was  Cornelius  Parsons 
Comegys,  who  was  the  Governor  of  Delaware, 
from  1838  to  1841,  and  who,  in  the  war  of  1812, 
was  Lieutenant  Colonel.  The  name  Cornelius 
was  an  old  family  one,  and  was  carried  down 
from  the  Cornelius  Comegys  who  came  from 


CORNKLIUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  9 

Holland  to  America  and  settled  on  the  east 
shore  of  Chesapeake  Bay,  in  old  Kent  County, 
Maryland,  1661,  where  he  had  a  large  planta- 
tion. He  was  naturalized,  with  his  wife  Milli- 
menty,  and  his  children — Cornelius,  Eliza- 
beth, William,  and  Hannah  Comegys,  in  1671. 

The  mother  of  Cornelius  George  Comegys 
was  Ruhamah  Marim,  a  daughter  of  John 
Marim,  a  Lieutenant  in  the  revolutionary 
army ;  and,  he  was  also  descended  from  En- 
glish ancestors  of  the  early  colonial  days — one 
of  whom,  William  Winsmore,  was  a  member 
of  William  Penn's  Assembly  in  1683. 

Cornelius  George,  or  George,  as  he  was 
always  called  by  his  family  and  relations, 
was  the  last  child  of  the  family  born  at  Cher- 
bourg. This  farm  Avas  a  part  of  a  tract  of 
land  granted  in  1680  to  William  Winsmore, 
an  ancestor  on  his  mother's  side,  and  known 
as  'Xittle  Pipe  Elm" — the  name  of  a  family 
estate  in  England.  Later  it  was  called  Cher- 
bourg, and  in  the  lifetime  of  his  father  was 
sold.    On  account  of  family  ties  and  his  strong 


lO  CORNElvIUS   GKORGK    COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

affection  for  the  home  of  his  early  days,  it  was 
purchased,  about  January  i,  1881,  by  Corne- 
lius, and  is  now  in  the  possession  of  his  chil- 
dren. 

While  in  his  earliest  childhood,  his  father, 
who  was  the  cashier  of  the  Farmers^  Bank  in 
Dover,  removed  his  family  to  that  place,  and 
their  home  was  in  the  building  in  which  the 
bank  was  located.  There  the  four  younger 
children  were  born. 

Time  passed  by,  and  the  family,  which  had 
become  of  goodly  size,  was  living  happily  amid 
pleasant  surroundings,  when  the  home  was 
broken  up.  The  cashier,  who  for  eleven  years 
had  been  faithful  to  his  duties,  suddenly,  and 
from  political  causes  entirely,  was  forced  to 
leave  the  bank  and  the  residence  in  the  build- 
ing. This  aroused  a  great  deal  of  feeling,  and 
an  act  for  the  vindication  of  the  cashier  was 
determined  upon  by  those  in  power  in  the 
State.  The  State  held  a  large  proportion  of 
the  shares  of  stock  of  the  Farmers'  Bank,  and 
the  Legislature,  then  in  session,  and  of  the 


CORNKIvlUS  GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  II 

same  party  and  politics  as  tlie  cashier,  imme- 
diately appointed  him  a  Director  in  the  bank. 
So  that,  a  few  da3^s  later,  he  sat  at  the  meeting 
of  the  Board  of  Directors — a  promotion  which 
his  colleagues,  no  doubt,  failed  to  enjoy. 

The  loss  of  position,  together  with  salary 
and  home  incident  to  it,  was,  however,  a  seri- 
ous blow.  It  compelled  him,  in  the  middle  of 
January,  to  move  his  family  of  eight  children* 
(the  youngest  scarcely  three  months  old)  to 
Cherbourg,  where,  by  reason  of  the  distance 
from  Dover  and  the  condition  of  the  roads  in 
winter,  they  were  cut  off  from  the  society  of 
their  friends,  and  were  thrown  upon  their  own 
resources  for  entertainment.  At  this  time  Cor- 
nelius was  about  twelve  years  of  age.  None  of 
the  children  went  to  school  for  that  first  year, 
and  such  few  books  as  were  within  their  reach 
became  the  solace  of  their  quiet  lives  and  were 
read  with  avidity. 


*  William  H.,  Sarah  Ann  (afterwards,  Mrs.  Ridgely), 
Joseph  P.,  Cornelius  G.,  Benjamin  B.,  Mary  Elizabeth  (after- 
wards, Mrs.  Chatham),  Maria,  and  John  M.  Comegys. 


12  CORNKLIUS   GKORGK   COME^GYS,    M.    D. 

When  spring  opened  the  four  older  sons 
were  all  set  to  work  in  the  fields,  and  worked 
in  accordance  with  their  strength. 

The  interrupted  schooling  was  resumed  a 
year  later,  as  a  public  school  was  opened  about 
two  miles  from  their  home,  which  the  younger 
children  attended.  Cornelius,  however,  went 
to  a  private  academy  in  Dover,  about  four 
miles  away.  This  walk  of  eight  miles  every 
day,  in  all  sorts  of  weather  and  over  a  bad 
road,  was  a  pretty  hard  one,  but  he  was  faith- 
ful in  his  attendance  and  a  zealous  student — 
especially  of  mathematics.  He  had  many 
friendly  arguments,  on  this  subject,  with  his 
younger  brother,  Benjamin,  whom  his  propo- 
sitions often  startled ;  and,  in  such  cases,  he 
was  called  upon  to  prove  his  statements,  the 
doing  of  which  gave  him  the  greatest  satisfac- 
tion. He  was  fond  of  playing  the  school- 
master, and,  one  winter,  a  room  was  set  apart 
in  the  house  as  a  school-room,  and  Cornelius 
was  constituted  the  teacher  of  a  class  of  three 
— his  pupils  being  his  two  young  sisters  and 


CORNKI.IUS    GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  1 3 

youngest  brother,  John.  This  proved  of  much, 
value  to  him,  and,  later,  gave  him  the  idea  of 
becoming  a  teacher. 

Things  went  on  in  this  way  for  some  3^ears, 
with  schooling  in  winter  and  working  on  the 
farm  in  the  summer.  This  work  in  the  fields 
was  a  hard  one  ;  but  to  it,  no  doubt,  he  was  in- 
debted for  his  large  frame,  robust  health,  and 
strong  constitution. 

He  did  not,  at  once,  carry  out  his  intention 
of  becoming  a  teacher,  for  his  first  employ- 
ment was  that  of  a  clerk  in  a  store  in  Dover. 
This  gave  him  an  idea  of  business  and,  added 
to  his  small  stock  of  knowledge,  was  of  much 
value  to  him. 

All  the  time,  however,  he  felt  that  he 
must  make  a  career,  for  himself,  in  the 
world.  He  had,  at  one  period,  a  great  am- 
bition to  enter  '  the  navy  as  a  midship- 
man ;  and,  although  he  received  little  or 
no  encouragement  from  his  family,  he  perse- 
vered in  his  endeavors,  which  culminated  in 
his  making  a  personal  application,  by  letter,  to 


14  CORNKlvIUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

the  Secretary  of  tlie  Navy.  In  due  time  a 
reply  came  under  the  '^frank"  of  the  Secretary, 
but  the  effort  was  unsuccessful.  It  was  a  bitter 
disappointment  to  him,  as  he  had  set  his  heart 
upon  it,  having  a  great  fondness  for  boats.  At 
one  time,  he  even  tried  to  build  a  small  pro- 
peller. This  love  for  the  sea  never  died  out 
and  was  one  of  the  strong  affections  of  his  life. 
In  his  brief  vacations  from  his  practice,  in 
later  years,  he  always  turned  his  course  toward 
Delaware  and  the  sea,  where  the  smell  of  the 
salt  air  and  the  view  of  the  boundless  ocean 
acted  as  a  tonic  for  his  entire  system. 

Cornelius  felt  that  the  employment  in  the 
store  was  neither  sufficiently  lucrative  nor  in 
keeping  with  his  ambition.  And,  when  about 
nineteen  years  of  age,  he  secured  a  position  as 
teacher  in  a  public  school,  in  a  neighborhood 
about  ten  miles  from  his  home.  He  taught 
there  for  about  a  year  and  made  his  home  in 
the  family  of  a  widow,  living  near  the  school- 
house,  who  tried  to  make  the  young  teacher 
comfortable.    He  generally  spent  his  Sundays 


CORNBJI.IUS   GB^ORGK   COMKGYS,   M.   D.  1 5 

at  ''CMpping  Norton",  the  old  family  place  of 
His  motHer's  family,  tlie  Marims,  in  tlie  society 
of  his  nncle,  Charles  Marim,  a  man  of  extra- 
ordinary conversational  powers,  which,  with 
his  wide  reading  and  great  intelligence,  made 
him  a  most  fascinating  companion. 

Comelins,  during  his  year's  teaching,  accu- 
mulated a  small  sum  of  money.  The  training 
there  was  of  the  utmost  value  to  him  in  after 
life,  and  inculcated  a  deep  love  for  study  and 
the  improvement  of  the  mind.  In  his  reading, 
then  and  later,  he  cared  little  for  fiction, 
except  as  regards  that  of  the  standard  novel- 
ists whom  he  greatly  admired ;  but,  the  bent 
of  his  mind  was  towards  philosophy,  logic, 
and  psychology.  He  was  of  a  very  inquiring 
and  restless  mind,  and  used  for  a  motto  the 
words :  ''He  that  asketh  much,  learneth 
much."  In  his  intercourse  with  his  younger 
brothers  and  sisters  in  his  youth,  and  with  his 
children  in  after  life,  while  he  believed  in 
wholesome  recreation,  he  always  discouraged 
what  he  considered  frivolities,  as  he  felt  that 


1 6  CORNELIUS   GKORGK   COMEGYS,   M.   D. 

time  was  too  valuable  to  be  given  to  anything 
except  to  the  earnest  work  of  life.  He  set  a 
goal  for  himself,  to  reach  which  he  worked 
with  an  energy  and  persistence  most  remark- 
able. Opposition  never  daunted  him,  but  only 
spurred  him  on  to  renewed  efforts.  He  had  a 
wish  about  this  time  to  study  medicine,  but 
the  way  was  not  yet  clear ;  so  the  desire  lay 
dormant  until  the  time  was  ripe. 

The  condition  of  his  father's  aifairs  was 
such  that  it  became  necessary  for  some  of  the 
remaining  children  to  break  oif  home  ties  and 
seek  employment  elsewhere.  Cornelius  was 
the  eldest  son  then  at  home,  and,  feeling  the 
necessity  of  taking  some  vital  step,  he  de- 
termined, with  the  small  stock  of  money  he 
had  saved  from  his  salary  as  a  teacher,  to  seek 
his  fortune  in  the  West.  This  was  a  great 
undertaking  in  those  days,  before  the  advent 
of  railroads,  when  the  only  means  of  traveling 
was  by  the  stage-coach,  canal,  and  river.  But 
the  necessity  seemed  great,  and  he  had  heard 
of   opportunities   across   the  mountains.     So, 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.   D.  1 7 

witli  many  letters  of  commendation,  secured 
by  his  father,  lie  departed  on  his  long  journey. 
His  objective  point  was  Indianapolis,  where  he 
expected  to  find  work  in  a  civil-engineering 
corps,  surveying  the  road  to  St.  Louis,  which 
was  being  done  by  the  government.  Having 
reached  Pittsburg,  after  his  journey  across  the 
mountains,  he  passed  down  the  Ohio  River  on 
a  boat  to  Louisville,  where  he  landed,  and 
proceeded  to  Indianapolis. 

Not  finding  the  opening  he  expected,  he 
entered,  at  first,  into  a  business  career;  biit, 
later,  he  became  the  cashier's  clerk  in  the 
State  Bank  of  Indiana.  This  led  to  his  ob- 
taining a  position  as  cashier  of  a  bank  in 
Lawrenceburg,  Indiana. 

While  in  Indianapolis  he  made  many 
friends  and  went  a  good  deal  into  society. 
There  he  met  Miss  Rebecca  Turner  Tiffin,  a 
daughter  of  the  late  Dr.  Edward  Tiffin,  the 
first  Governor  of  Ohio,  an  ex-Senator  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  holder  of  other  offices 
of  distinction  and  trust  under  the  State  and 


1 8  C0RNKI<IUS   GI^ORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

general  government.  Miss  Tiffin  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  and  was,  at  that 
time,  visiting  her  relatives,  the  Porters,  in 
Indianapolis.  The  result  of  the  acquaintance 
thus  made,  and  the  subsequent  meetings  dur- 
ing the  winter  season,  was  an  engagement. 
On  October  3,  1839,  ^^^Y  were  married  in 
Chillicothe,  and  went  to  Lawrenceburg  to  live. 
Some  time  afterwards  a  business  opening 
appeared  which  looked  promising,  and,  being 
urged  to  enter  into  a  partnership  to  conduct  a 
large  flouring-mill,  Cornelius  Comegys  gave 
up  his  position  in  the  bank  and  entered  that 
business.  For  a  time  he  was  eminently  suc- 
cessful, and  the  business  prospered  beyond  all 
expectations.  But,  through  keen  and  un- 
worthy competition,  as  well  as  an  over- 
production of  flour,  a  failure  resulted.  The 
whole  burden  of  paying  the  debts  of  the  con- 
cern fell  upon  him,  as  his  partner  not  only 
had  nothing,  but  even  diverted  the  funds 
placed  in  his  hands  to  pay  the  creditors.  This 
compelled  him  to  pay  many  of  the  debts  twice 


coRNKLius  gkorge;  comkgys,  m.  d.  19 

over,  and  tHe  burden,  nntil  lie  finally  settled 
up  all  his  obligations,  rested  upon  his 
shoulders  for  years. 

This  experience,  though  bitter  at  the  time, 
proved  to  be  the  turning-point  in  his  life. 
After  much  thought  as  to  the  future,  he  deter- 
mined to  begin  life  afresh  by  taking  up  the 
study  of  medicine,  a  profession  for  which  he 
had  had  an  early  predilection.  In  pursuance 
of  this  resolution  he  determined  to  leave  Law- 
renceburg,  the  scene  of  his  early  married  life, 
and  the  place  where  his  two  daughters  were 
born,  and  removed  to  Philadelphia,  He  at 
once  matriculated  in  the  Medical  Department 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  also 
placed  himself,  as  a  private  pupil,  under  Dr. 
George  Horner,  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the 
University.  He  also  pursued  other  outside 
studies,  and  among  them  that  of  French, 
which  he  deemed  necessary  in  order  to  read 
the  medical  works  of  the  eminent  French 
writers.  His  instructor  in  this  was  Delacroix, 
a  French  teacher  of   note,  whose  method  of 


20  coRNKiyius  georg:e  come;gys,  m.  d. 

teaching  he  greatly  admired.  In  March,  1848, 
he  took  his  degree  in  medicine,  and  practiced 
for  about  a  year  in  Philadelphia,  during  which 
time  he  made  a  number  of  very  warm  friends. 
Here  was  born  his  eldest  son,  Cornelius 
Marim  Comegys,  who  died,  in  Cincinnati,  at 
the  age  of  twenty  years. 

Although  his  prospects  were  good,  he 
thought  the  field  would  be  better  in  the  West, 
and  therefore  removed  to  Cincinnati,  where, 
by  his  successful  treatment  of  the  Asiatic 
Cholera,  which  visited  the  city  in  1849,  -^^ 
gained  a  large  practice.  This  was  the  second 
visitation  of  that  awful  scourge.  It  broke  out 
in  April  of  that  year.  It  came  by  way  of 
New  Orleans,  and,  in  a  consultation,  he  prob- 
ably saw  the  first  case.  The  patient  was  a 
German  immigrant  who  had  just  arrived  in 
the  city  from  New  Orleans.  The  ravages  of 
the  cholera  lasted  until  about  the  middle  of 
August,  and  Dr.  Comegys  distinguished  him- 
self by  his  untiring  efforts  and  skill  among 
his  patients — one  of  whom  was  his  own  wife. 


CORNKlvIUS    GKORGK    COMKGYS,    M.    D.  21 

Being  thorouglily  ambitious  to  be  fully 
equipped  for  tbe  practice  of  his  profession,  and 
feeling  the  need  of  a  wider  clinical  stud}^,  he 
went  abroad,  in  1 851,  to  spend  a  year  in  the 
medical  schools  and  hospitals  of  London  and 
Paris.  In  the  former,  his  especial  instruction 
was  under  the  eminent  medical  staff  of  Guy's 
Hospital ;  and,  in  the  latter,  his  preceptor  was 
Professor  J.  M.  Charcot,  chief  of  the  clinical 
staff  of  La  Charite  Hospital,  and  aftenvards 
the  distinguished  writer  on  ''Nervous  Dis- 
eases" and  ''Diseases  of  the  Spinal  Cord." 
The  courses  of  instruction,  and  the  constant 
contact  with  the  eminent  ph^^sicians  and  sur- 
geons abroad,  greatly  broadened  the  scope  of 
his  knowledge,  and  enabled  him  to  introduce 
a  number  of  new  features  into  the  medical 
schools  and  hospitals  at  home. 

Upon  returning  to  Cincinnati,  in  1852,  Dr. 
Comegys  gave  a  course  of  lectures  on  Anatomy 
in  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons. 
He  then  joined  in  the  organization  of  the 
Miami  Medical  College,  as   professor  of   the 


22  CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK    COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

Institutes  of  Medicine,  and  continued  with  the 
college  until  its  fusion  with  the  Ohio  Medical 
College  in  1857.  ^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^  ^^'^^  allotted  the 
same  chair,  and,  in  addition,  that  of  clinical 
teacher  on  the  medical  staff  of  the  Cincinnati 
Hospital,  which,  at  that  time,  was  under  the 
control  of  the  Medical  College  of  Ohio.  He 
resigned  his  college  duties  in  1869,  but  re- 
tained his  position  on  the  staff  of  the  Hospital 
to  the  close  of  his  life,  and  during  the  last 
seven  or  eight  years  of  that  time  was  presi- 
dent of  the  staff. 

He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Academy 
of  Medicine,  and  twice  served  as  its  president. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  old  Medico-Chirurgi- 
cal  Society,  and  of  the  Cincinnati  Medical  So- 
ciet}^ ;  of  the  American  Medical  Association  ; 
of  the  Mississippi  Valley  Medical  Associa- 
tion ;  honorary  member  of  the  Philadelphia 
College  of  Physicians  ;  of  the  Delaware  State 
Medical  Society ;  of  the  Western  Reserve 
Historical  Society  of  Ohio ;  of  the  Ohio  His- 
torical and  Philosophical  Society  ;  the  Trinity 


CORNKlvIUS   GEORGE    COMEGYS,    M.  D.  23 

Historical  Society  of  Texas  ;  of  tlie  Cincinnati 
Literary  Club ;  and  of  a  number  of  other  like 
organizations. 

Dr.  Comegys  was  endowed  with,  a  very 
liberal  mind,  and  bis  residence  abroad  im- 
proved bis  natural  faculties  and  aroused  a 
desire  to  see  tbe  growtb  and  development  of 
Cincinnati.  As  a  good  citizen  be  believed 
it  a  vital  duty  to  concentrate  bis  energies 
in  some  particular  line  of  work  for  tbe  prog- 
ress of  tbe  city ;  and,  as  be  bad  tbe  utmost 
respect  for  learning,  be  tbougbt  its  avenues 
sbould  be  open  to  all.  Wbile  still  a  young 
practitioner  witb  a  large  family,  be  still 
found  time,  in  spite  of  tbe  duties  and  anx- 
ieties of  bis  profession,  to  take  an  active 
interest  in  educational  matters.  As  a  mem- 
ber of  tbe  Scbool  Board,  to  wbicb  be  was 
elected  on  April  2,  1855,  from  tbe  i4tb 
Ward,  be  visited  tbe  scbools  frequently, 
formed  acquaintances  witb  tbe  teacbers,  and 
watcbed  tbe  progress  of  tbe  scholars.  He 
was   instrumental  in  starting  a   nigbt   Higb 


24  CORNKI.IUS   G:eORGK   COMKGYS,   M.    D. 

Scliool  for  the  instruction  of  young  business 
men,  who  were  thus  enabled  to  complete 
their  interrupted  education.  Many  of  the 
successful  business  men  of  to-day  attended 
that  school.  As  chairman  of  the  Public 
Library  Committee,  he  saw  the  possibilities 
of  the  library  as  a  factor  in  education,  and 
the  necessity  for  a  larger  structure  and 
better  care  of  the  books  to  prevent  their 
destruction.  By  joining  forces  with  the 
Mechanics'  Institute,  which  had  a  suitable 
building  and  was  better  equipped,  he  thought 
the  future  of  the  library  would  be  assured. 
An  opportunity  for  this  having  occurred, 
he  struggled  with  might  and  main  against 
indifference,  procrastination,  and  strong  op- 
position of  many  of  his  fellow-members  in 
the  matter.  Often  discouraged,  but  never 
abating  one  jot  of  his  zeal,  he  persisted  in 
his  work  and  at  length  saw  his  labors 
crowned  with  success  and  the  foundation 
laid  for  the  splendidly  equipped  Public 
Library  of  to-day. 


CORNKlvIUS   GKORGK    COMKGYS,    M.    D.  25 

The  story,  however,  is  best  told  in  the 
account  given  by  the  Cincinnati  Commercial* 
of  the  formal  opening  of  the  new  building 
of  the  Public  Library  on  Wednesday,  Febru- 
ary 25,  1874.  Among  the  speakers  of  that 
occasion  was  Rev.  Thomas  Vickers,  the  Li- 
brarian at  that  time. 

Mr.  Vickers  first  sketches  the  origin  and 
progress  of  the  Library,  resulting  in  the  mag- 
nificent new  structure,  and  says  that  ''many 
have  contributed  to  the  glorious  work.'^ 
''The  inception,"  he  continues,  "was  in  1854, 
at  which  time  a  tax  of  one-tenth  of  a  mill 
was  on  the  tax  duplicate  for  purchase  of 
books  by  Commissioners  of  Common  Schools 
for  Township  libraries.  This  resulted  in 
sixteen  small  libraries  exactly  alike,  one  for 
each  Ward  (16).  This  being  undesirable,  the 
Board  of  Education  made  an  arrangement  to 
unite  them  into  one.  This  was  done  in 
1855,  ^^^  they  were  put  into  a  building  of 
the  Board  on  Longworth  Street.     The  Board 

*  Of  February  26,  1874. 


26  CORNELIUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

Had  no  means  to  purchase  a  lot  for  a  build- 
ing and  Messrs.  Frencli,  Comegys,  and  Rice 
were    appointed  the  first  Library  Committee. 

During  November  and  December,  ineffec- 
tual efforts  were  made  by  the  Librarian,  Mr. 
John  D.  Caldwell,  and  Dr.  Comegys,  to  pro- 
vide rooms  for  the  School  Board  and  Library 
in  the  Cincinnati  College  Building.  In 
January,  1856,  numerous  localities  were  con- 
sidered and  various  offers  made,  but  no  de- 
cision was  arrived  at.  Meanwhile,  circulars 
were  sent  to  men  of  culture  in  the  various 
departments  of  learning,  requesting  their  co- 
operation in  the  selection  of  books.  Then 
came  a  relaxation  of  interest  on  the  part  of 
many,  in  the  library,  coupled  with  a  deter- 
mined opposition,  of  some,  to  paying  a  sur- 
plus tax,  for  this  purpose,  to  other  portions 
of  the  state. 

Alarmed  for  the  future  of  the  Library, 
Dr.  Comegys,  now  chairman  of  the  Library 
Committee,  summoned  all  his  energies  to 
the  work  of  securing  an  independent  library 


corn:^i.ius  g:^orge^  com^gys,  m.  d.  27 

tax  for  this  city.  Printed  petitions  were  dis- 
tributed, by  tbe  teachers  and  scholars  of  all 
the  public  schools,  to  be  signed  by  the  names 
of  their  parents  and  friends  and  were  after- 
wards forwarded  in  great  numbers  to  the 
Legislature.  In  March,  1856,  Mr.  Caldwell, 
the  Librarian,  was  chosen  one  of  the  Di- 
rectors of  the  Mechanics'  Institute.  At  the 
very  first  meeting  of  that  Board  he  se- 
cured the  appointment  of  a  committee,  viz  : 
President  Wilstach,  Mr.  Bruce,  and  Mr. 
Burke,  to  confer  with  President  King,  Dr. 
Comegys,  and  A.  S.  Sullivan,  Committee  of 
the  School  Board,  relative  to  uniting  the 
Public  and  Mechanics'  Institute  Libraries 
and  furnishing  a  Session  Hall  and  School 
Board  office  in  the  Mechanics'  Institute. 

A  proposition  was  made,  on  the  part  of 
the  officers  of  the  Mechanics'  Institute,  and 
on  May  5,  1856,  the  Library  Committee 
agreed  to  accept  it,  the  Public  Library  fur- 
nishing 2,400  volumes  and  the  Mechanics' 
Institute  furnishing  4,000  volumes — many  of 


28  CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

them  invaluable  books — tbe  nucleus  of  all 
the  pioneer  libraries  gathered  together  in 
the  progress  of  a  town  or  city. 

The  committee,  through  Dr.  Comegys,  con- 
gratulated the  School  Board  and  the  public 
that  they  had  procured  all  these  facilities — 
sure  to  be  a  great  central  attraction,  calcu- 
lated to  elevate  the  intellectual  and  moral 
character  of  the  people — all  for  $600  a  year, 
that  being  the  interest  on  city  bonds  to  the 
amount  of  $10,000,  to  be  transferred  to  the 
Institute  and  held  until  both  parties  agreed 
to  withdraw  from  the  contract,  when  the 
bonds  would  be  returned. 

The  Committee,  though  convinced  of  the 
importance  of  this  advance  step  in  behalf  of 
the  people,  met  with  an  unexpected  rebuff 
from  the  School  Board.  On  a  vote  to  close 
the  contract  and  arrange  for  the  use  of  the 
building,   the  vote  was — ayes,   10 ;    nays,    16. 

The  Library  Committee,  not  disheartened, 
in  two  weeks  after  renewed  the  proposition. 
It  was  discussed  and  laid  over  for  one  week, 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMEGYS,    M.   D.  29 

but  no  action  was  taken  until  June  9. 
The  School  Board  agreed  to  avail  itself  of 
the  privilege  of  the  amended  law  to  tax  the 
people  of  Cincinnati,  for  library  purposes, 
one-tenth  of  a  mill. 

On  the  1 6th  of  June — a  memorable  day — 
Dr.  Comegys  visited,  personally,  the  major- 
ity of  the  members  of  the  School  Board  to 
urge  their  attendance  that  evening.  Amid 
much  excitement  the  contract  with  the 
Mechanics'  Institute  was  ordered  by — ayes, 
20 ;  nays,  6.  Those  who  voted  in  the  nega- 
tive were  :  Messrs.  Armstrong,  Beattie,  Pov/- 
ers,  Rowekamp,   Speer,   and  President  King. 

This  was  a  technical  victory.  The  project 
favored  by  the  Chairman  of  the  Library  Com- 
mittee was  adopted,  but  the  President  of  the 
Board  announced  that  he  would  enter  his 
written  protest  on  the  journal,  and  Mr.  Speer 
gave  notice  that  he  would  join  him  in  the 
protest. 

On  the  7th  of  July,  Dr.  Comegys  urged 
that  the   City   Council   approve  the  contract 


30  CORNKIwIUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.   D. 

and  add  the  City  instead  of  the  School  Board. 
This  matter  received  attention  in  the  City 
Council,  but  the  Law  Committee  disposed 
of  it  there  by  their  report  that  the  city  bonds 
designed  to  be  used  in  the  contract  were  en- 
tirely at  the  disposal  of  the  School  Board. 
It  thus  became  the  duty  of  the  School  Board 
to  conclude  the  contract.  It  was  done,  in 
spite  of  the  most  determined  struggle  on  the 
part  of  those  who  were  opposed  to  it.  On 
July  31,  1856,  it  was  signed  on  the  part  of 
the  School  Board  by  Dr.  Comegys,  A.  S. 
Sullivan,  and  Lyman  Harding,  the  president 
having,  at  his  request,  been  excused  from  this 
duty. 

This  action  was  really  the  crossing  of  the 
Rubicon  for  the  Public  Library.  It  gave  it 
an  importance  which  it  probably  would  not 
otherwise  have  obtained ;  and  those  to  whose 
untiring  energy  the  action  was  due  ought 
to  be  gratefully  remembered  to-day.  It  is  a 
pleasing  reflection  that,  as  a  consequence  of 
the   occupancy   of    the   Mechanics'    Institute 


CORNKlvIUS    GEORGE    COMEGYS,    M.   D.  3 1 

Building,  tlie  cause  of  education  received  a 
new  impulse.  A  night  higli  school  was  es- 
tablished with  eminent  success  in  Greenwood 
Hall,  and  an  art  gallery,  which,  under  the 
fostering  care  of  the  then  president  of  the 
School  Board,  has  grown  into  the  McMicken 
School  of  Design,  the  Art  Department  of 
the  University  of  Cincinnati.  Nor  is  it 
less  pleasant  to  remember  that,  since  that 
time,  the  Mechanics'  Institute  has  become 
entirely  free  from  debt,  has  paid  back  the 
$10,000  to  the  Board  of  Education,  and  is 
otherwise  now  able  to  help  its  former  friends 
and  benefactors.  From  this  point  the  Library 
may  really  be  considered  as  firmly  estab- 
lished."    ='=     *     *     * 

Dr.  Comegys'  experience  as  a  member -of 
the  School  Board  was,  however,  only  intro- 
ductory to  his  work  in  the  municipal  boards, 
and  to  an  educational  one  of  greater  magni- 
tude. He  served  for  a  short  time  in  the 
City  Council  and  also  a  term  in  the  Board 
of  Aldermen.     He  was   elected  a   trustee   of 


32  CORNELIUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

the  City  Council,  from  the  15th  Ward,  at 
an  election  held  on  August  21,  1869,  to  fill 
the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of 
T.  F.  Baker.  He  was  elected  to  the  Board 
of  Aldermen,  from  the  15th  Ward,  on  April 
4,  1870.  His  services  in  both  boards  were 
always  in  the  way  of  reform  and  economy 
in  the  municipal  government ;  and  he  threw 
himself  into  every  important  measure  with 
all  the  energy  of  his  nature.  The  ulterior 
object  which  he  had  in  view  in  entering 
the  City  Council  was  to  pave  the  way 
for  carrying  out  the  bequest  of  Charles 
McMicken  in  the  establishing,  by  means 
of  a  city  charter,  of  the  University  of  Cin- 
cinnati. 

This  institution  is  indebted  for  its  existence 
to  the  generosity  of  Charles  McMicken,  who, 
at  his  death,  in  1858,  left  his  large  fortune  to 
the  City  of  Cincinnati  to  found  an  institution 
of  learning  in  which  students  of  both  sexes 
should  receive,  without  cost,  the  benefits  of  a 
sound,  thorough,  and  practical  education,  sim- 


CORNELIUS   gkorg:^   COME^GYS,    M.    D.  33 

ilar  to  that  taught  in  the  colleges  and  univer- 
sities of  the  country. 

The  first  steps  to  the  carrying  out  of  this 
bequest  was  the  action  by  which  Rufus  King, 
James  Wilson,  Miles  Greenwood,  Dr.  C.  G. 
Comegys,  Henry  F.  Handy,  and  G.  B.  Hollis- 
ter.  Directors  of  the  McMicken  University, 
elected  by  the  City  Council,  met  in  the  Coun- 
cil Chamber  on  Friday,  December  30,  1859, 
and  organized. 

The  income  of  the  munificent  gift  and  en- 
dowment, however,  was  insufficient  to  estab- 
lish, at  once,  the  University.  A  large  amount 
of  the  real  estate  in  Louisiana  was  lost,  owing 
to  the  fact  that  that  state  refused  to  recognize 
the  validity  of  bequests  of  real  estate  to  insti- 
tutions not  located  within  her  borders.  Be- 
sides, there  were  many  expenses  and  charges 
upon  the  estate,  so  that  for  years  the  whole 
income  was  devoted  to  rebuilding  and  repair- 
ing the  stores,  ware-houses,  and  dwellings, 
and  the  payment  of  the  legacies  and  annuities 
to  the  heirs  of  McMicken.     It  was  not  until 


34  CORNKlylUS   GKORGE)   COM^GYS,    M,    D. 

1867  that  enougli  funds  were  accumulated  for 
educational  purposes,  and  the  McMicken 
School  of  Art  and  Design  was  started.  This 
was  very  successful ;  but,  in  order  to  relieve 
the  Trustees  of  an  expense  of  $2,500  a  year, 
it  was  deemed  advisable  to  transfer  the  school 
to  the  Art  Museum  Association.  The  money 
on  hand  being  still  too  small  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  an  Academic  Department,  the  Trus- 
tees determined  to  apply,  through  the  City 
Council,  for  a  charter  of  the  University  of 
Cincinnati  which  would  authorize  a  consolida- 
tion of  all  the  other  educational  funds  with 
that  of  the  McMicken  estate  and  a  subven- 
tion of  one-tenth  of  a  mill  tax  on  the  grand 
levy. 

Dr.  Comegys  was  one  of  the  most  ardent 
supporters  of  this  measure,  and  deemed  it  of 
the  utmost  importance  that  there  should  be 
some  one  in  the  City  Council  friendly  to  it, 
and  who  would  strongly  advocate  it.  A 
vacancy  occurring  in  the  City  Council  by  the 
resignation  of  the  member  from  his  own  ward, 


corne:lius  gkorgk  comkgys,  M.  D.  35 

and  deeming  tliat  liis  dnty  lay  in  seizing  tHis 
opportunity  to  further  the  interests  of  the 
University  at  this  most  critical  time,  he  re- 
signed his  position  as  a  Trustee  and  became  a 
candidate  for  the  City  Council.  He  was 
elected  at  a  special  election  held  on  August 
21,  1869 — as  previously  mentioned. 

The  Legislature  having  passed  enabling 
laws,  the  charter  was  granted,  in  1870,  by  the 
City  Council.  Through  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion, one- tenth  of  a  mill  tax  was  also  granted. 
The  income  of  the  McMicken  estate  Avas 
transferred  by  the  old  board  to  the  new  board 
of  directors  of  the  University  of  Cincinnati, 
which  organized  on  December  26,  1870. 

Dr.  Comegys'  absence  from  the  University 
was  only  temporary,  for,  in  1873,  his  name 
appeared  among  the  list  of  the  Board  of 
Directors  of  the  University  of  Cincinnati,  at  a 
time  when  plans  were  being  made  for  the 
organization  of  the  Academic  Department. 
From  this  time  he  served  continuously  until 
his    death,    on    February    10,    1896, — having 


36  CORNKLIUS   GKORGK   COME^GYS,    M.    D. 

served  as  tlie  President  of  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors from  June  i6,  1890,  until  that  time. 

The  Academic  Department  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Cincinnati  was  opened  for  courses  of 
study,  under  professors  engaged  from  leading 
eastern  colleges,  in  October,  1874, — although 
a  preliminary  start  had  been  made,  the  year 
before,  by  afternoon  classes  at  Woodward 
High  School,  under  the  instruction  of  several 
of  the  teachers  of  that  school.  It  was  not, 
however,  until  September,  1875,  that  the  new 
University  Building,  in  the  course  of  erection 
on  the  homestead  property  of  Charles 
McMicken,  was  ready  for  occupancy.  In  its 
own  building,  with  an  enlarged  corps  of 
teachers  and  a  steadily  increasing  yearly 
matriculation  of  students,  the  Academic  De- 
partment passed  through  the  crucial  period  of 
its  existence.  For  twenty  years  the  infant 
college  grew  until  it  waxed  strong  enough  to 
throw  off  its  swaddling  clothes  and  emerge 
from  its  dingy  surroundings  below  the  hills  to 
the  lofty  elevation  in    Burnet  Woods — high 


CORNKlylUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  37 

above  tlie  beautiful  Mill  creek  Valley.  In  the 
fall  of  1895,  a  new  generation  of  students 
opened  the  splendid,  modernly  equipped  Mc- 
Micken  Hall.  Since  tbat  time,  the  munifi- 
cence of  two  wealthy  citizens  has  provided  the 
two  wings  of  the  main  building — Hanna  Hall 
(opened  in  1897),  and  Cunningham  Hall  (now 
in  the  course  of  erection) — thus  completing 
the  group  of  buildings  as  designed.  Another 
noble-hearted  citizen,  Mr.  Asa  Van  Wormer, 
has  given  the  sum  of  sixty  thousand  dollars 
to  be  used  for  the  erection  of  a  library  build- 
ing, for  which,  as  a  nucleus  of  a  library,  Mr. 
William  A.  Proctor  has  bought  and  donated 
^'The  Robert  Clarke  Library" — a  rare  and 
valuable  collection ;  Mr.  Robert  Clarke  also 
has  donated  $1,000  worth  of  books. 

It  was  for  this  development  that  Dr.  Come- 
gys  worked  from  his  first  connection  as  direc- 
tor of  the  McMicken  University,  from  its  or- 
ganization on  December  30,  1859,  to  the  time 
of  his  death  on  February  10,  1896, — a  period 
covering  nearly  one-half  of  his  life — and  he 


38  CORN^IvIUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,   M.    D. 

lived  to  see  the  fruits  of  his  labor.  The 
struggles  and  vicissitudes  of  the  University 
were  many,  but  the  duties  of  the  Board  of 
Directors  found  no  more  faithful  servant. 
Although  a  busy  man  in  a  profession  in 
which  he  could  not  call  his  time  his  own,  he 
never  failed  in  his  attendance  at  board  or 
committee  meetings,  unless  prevented  by  sick- 
ness, absence  from  the  city,  or  the  impera- 
tive calls  incident  to  his  profession. 

His  ideals  were  very  high,  and  it  was  his 
earnest  desire  to  unite  all  the  higher  institu- 
tions of  learning  in  the  city  with  the  Univer- 
sity of  Cincinnati — with  departments  of  law, 
medicine,  art,  and  music.  His  annual  reports 
show  this,  and  in  his  last  report,  January  i, 
1895,  under  the  heading  of — "An  Alliance  of 
other  Schools  in  our  City  under  the  Insignia 
of  the  University  of  Cincinnati," — he  says  : 

^'This  subject  has  frequently  been  alluded 
to  in  the  Annual  Reports  of  the  University, 
and  much  has  been  accomplished  and  much 
more  can  be  done,  and  we  hope  the  public  feel- 


corne:i,ius  gkorgk  comkgys,  M.  D.  39 

ing  on  tiiis  matter  will  aSvSume  a  potent  form. 
THe  value  of  treaties,  leagues,  and  alliances 
for  definite  objects  whicli  could  not  be  effected 
individually,  is  attested  by  all  history,  notably 
in  our  time  by  the  confederation  of  tbe  Ger- 
man States  that  form  the  German  Empire, 
and  the  tripartite  treaty  of  Germany,  Italy, 
and  Austria ;  in  the  business  world,  by  the 
combination  of  lines  of  railroads  to  form  trans- 
portation systems  ;  in  the  educational  world, 
the  examples  of  the  union  of  twenty-three  col- 
leges under  the  insignia  of  the  Oxford  Uni- 
versity, also  of  the  Cambridge  University,  in 
England.  These  colleges  have  separate 
boards  of  governors,  endowments,  facilities, 
and  arrangement  of  studies.  Is  it  not  the 
true  policy  for  Cincinnati  to  consolidate  her 
institutions  of  learning,  so  as  to  give  our  Uni- 
versity a  rank  with  the  greatest  in  our 
country?  This  is  not  a  doubtful  question. 
We  have  at  this  moment  students  in  arts  and 
sciences,  law,  medicine,  art,  and  music,  aggre- 
gating two  thousand  five  hundred,  and  before 


40  CORNKI.IUS   GKORGE   COMEGYS,   M.    D. 

the  end  of  the  century  the  number  will  have 
increavSed  to  three  thousand.  This  is  an  enor- 
mous number,  and  will  place  our  University 
in  the  front  rank  with  the  great  institutions 
of  civilization." 

Dr.  Comegys  worked  to  create  all  of  these 
departments  and  made  many  personal  efforts. 
He  was  especially  sanguine  of  the  early  crea- 
tion of  a  Medical  Department  by  effecting  a 
union  with  the  Medical  College  of  Ohio. 
Many  obstacles  intervened  and  many  meet- 
ings of  committees  were  held.  During  his 
last  illness,  just  before  taking  to  his  bed,  and 
when  scarcely  able  to  sit  up,  he  called  a  meet- 
ing of  the  joint  committees  from  the  Univer- 
sity Board  and  from  the  Medical  College  of 
Ohio.  To  his  deep  disappointment  no  agree- 
ment for  the  union  was  consummated. 
Within  a  few  weeks  he  died,  and,  shortly 
after,  the  work  for  which  he  had  labored  so 
earnestly,  and  upon  which  he  had  set  his 
heart,  was  completed,  and  the  establishment 
of  the  Medical  Department  was  accomplished. 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  41 

The  same  year  saw  the  formation  of  a  new 
Law  Department,  which  proved  a  marked  suc- 
cess. Later,  a  consolidation  was  effected  with 
the  ^'Law  School  of  the  Cincinnati  College," 
an  old  and  well-knoAvn  institution,  by  which 
the  latter  was  merged  into  the  Law  Depart- 
ment of  the  University  of  Cincinnati. 

Among  the  affiliated  schools  are :  The  Clin- 
ical and  Pathological  School  of  the  Cincinnati 
Hospital,  and  the  Ohio  College  of  Dental  Sur- 
gery. So  that  the  seed  that  was  planted  bore 
fruit. 

During  the  long  services  of  Dr.  Comegys 
on  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  University 
he  was  associated  with  many  of  the  most 
distinguished  professional  and  business  men 
of  Cincinnati,  who  freely  gave  of  their  time 
and  strength  for  this  most  noble  work.  A 
strong  constitution  and  a  great  capacit}^  for 
work  enabled  him  to  survive  all  of  the  elder 
and  earlier  members  of  the  Board,  and  his 
advanced  age  found  him  working  with  the 
enthusiasm    and    energy    of    a    young    man. 


42  CORNKIylUS   GEORGE    COMEGYS.    M.    D. 

He  died  in  the  harness,  as  he  wished  to  do, 
with  almost  his  last  thoughts  and  efforts  tip- 
on  the  carrying  out  of  this  great  trust.  He 
laid  the  corner-stone  of  McMicken  Hall  in 
Burnet  Woods,  on  September  22,  1894,  but 
the  stones  which  he  placed  in  the  foundation 
of  the  University  of  Cincinnati  were  laid 
long  before  this  and  will  be  as  lasting  as 
the  institution  itself. 

In  his  profession  Dr.  Comegys  was  an 
ardent  and  indefatigable  worker,  and  his 
practice  was  very  large  and  extensive.  His 
patients  embraced  all  classes  of  people,  high 
and  low,  rich  and  poor.  He  discriminated 
against  none,  and  gave  the  same  attention 
to  those  who  could  afford  to  pay  little  or 
nothing  as  to  those  who  were  in  affluent 
circumstances.  He  never  refused  a  call  and 
day  and  night,  as  long  as  he  was  able  to  re- 
spond, he  was  at  the  service  of  his  patients. 
Like  most  physicians  he  did  much  for 
charity  and  often  for  those  who  could  have 
paid  for  his  services,  if  they  would.     In  the 


CORNKI^IUS   GKORGK    COMKGYS,    M.   D.  43 

sick-room  lie  was  tender  and  sympathetic, 
and  in  many  families  lie  was  the  confidential 
friend  and  adviser,  as  well  as  the  physician. 
He  often  assisted  those  whose  needs  became 
known  in  this  way,  and  exerted  his  influ- 
ence in  obtaining  situations  for  the  unem- 
ployed parents  or  children.  The  number  of 
the  many  acts  of  kindness  and  help  per- 
formed in  this  way  will  never  become  known 
as  he  never  cared  to  talk  of  these  things, 
and  confidences  reposed  in  him  were  never 
betrayed — not  even  to  his  own  family. 

He  associated  himself  with  the  Medical 
Colleges  and  Hospital  almost  at  the  begin- 
ning of  his  career,  lecturing  and  giving  bed- 
side instruction  almost  daily  during  the 
winter  courses.  His  days  were  busy  ones. 
He  started  out,  with  his  horse  and  buggy, 
immediately  after  breakfast,  and  was  occupied 
during  the  entire  day  and  early  evening  in 
lecturing,  visiting  patients,  seeing  them  at 
his  office,  and  in  performing  his  other  duties 
— only    going    home    for    his    meals.     Until 


44  CORNKI.IUS   GBORGK   COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

latter  years  and  before  rapid  transit  had  im- 
pelled the  movement  toward  the  suburbs, 
the  city  proper  was  the  principal  field  of  his 
operations.  His  practice,  however,  led  him, 
even  at  that  time,  to  many  country  places, 
within  a  radius  of  five  miles  from  the  center 
of  the  city,  which  then  could  only  be  reached 
by  driving.  His  services  as  a  consulting 
physician  were  often  in  demand  in  neighbor- 
ing cities  and  states,  necessitating  many  rail- 
road trips.  Consultations  at  home  were  fre- 
quent and,  in  addition,  his  office  practice 
was  large.  He  was  also,  for  ^^ears,  one  of 
the  medical  examiners  for  the  local  office  of 
one  of  the  largest  insurance  companies  of 
New  York. 

He  was  much  interested  in  several  of  the 
medical  associations  and  especially  the  Amer- 
ican Medical  Association,  whose  meetings  he 
generally  attended.  The  development  of  the 
journal  of  that  association  appealed  to  him 
greatly  and  he  devoted  much  thought  to 
plans  for  its   enlargement  and  believed  that, 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGB^   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  45 

as  a  national  journal,  its  location  should  be 
at  tlie  national  capital,  Washington. 

He  had  the  utmost  love  and  veneration 
for  his  profession,  and  believed  its  capacity 
for  doing  good  and  for  promoting  the  bodily 
and  mental  health  of  the  people  to  be  bound- 
less. He  thought  a  healthy  body  was  a  pre- 
requisite for  a  sound  mind ;  and  he  believed 
it  to  be  within  the  power  of  the  government, 
through  the  medical  profession,  to  bring 
about  this  condition.  He  deemed  the  Cabinet 
incomplete  without  medical  representation, 
and  urged  the  American  Medical  Associa- 
tion to  use  its  influence  to  establish  a  ^^De- 
partment of  Public  Health"  and  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  '^Secretary  of  Public  Health." 
Accordingly,  a  resolution  was  adopted  by 
the  Association  that  a  committee  be  ap- 
pointed to  petition  Congress  to  create  a 
Cabinet  Officer  to  be  known  as  ''Medical 
Secretary  of  Public  Health." 

Dr.  Comegys  was  the  chairman  of  the 
committee,  prepared  the  petition  himself,  and 


46  CORNKI.IUS   GBORGS   COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

sent  it  to  the  various  members  of  the  large 
committee,  scattered  over  the  country,  for 
their  signatures.  In  his  printed  circular  he 
spoke  of  the  vital  importance,  for  the  health 
of  the  nation,  of  establishing  hygienic  meas- 
ures for  the  prevention  of  disease  and  the 
spreading  of  pestilence.  He  believed  that 
the  people  should  be  enlightened  in  sani- 
tary ways  of  living,  and  that,  under  a  single 
department  and  head,  there  should  be  united 
all  influences  which  might  act  upon  the 
physical  and  mental  health  of  the  people. 
Instead  of  separate  organizations  of  State 
Boards  of  Health,  the  Signal  Service,  the 
medical  departments  of  the  Army,  Navy,  and 
Marine  Service,  they  should,  with  all  their 
statistical  and  general  work,  be  united  under 
a  broader  and  more  comprehensive  system 
in  which  the  entire  medical  profession  of  the 
country  was  involved. 

He  spent  much  time  and  labor  upon  this 
matter  and  made  several  trips  to  Washing- 
ton in  its   behalf.     He   personally   interested 


CORNELIUS   GKORGK   COM^GYS,    M.   D.  47 

a  number  of  members  of  Congress  in  it  and 
urged  other  members  of  the  large  and  repre- 
sentative committee  of  the  American  Medical 
iVssociation  to  use  their  influence  for  the 
favorable  consideration  of  the  petition.  Such 
an  undertaking  naturally  aroused  much  at- 
tention, and,  while  many  of  the  congres- 
sional committee,  to  which  it  was  referred, 
gave  it  a  favorable  hearing,  others  showed 
indifference  and  even  actual  opposition.  Dr. 
Comegys  endeavored  to  overcome  this  hos- 
tility and  was  sanguine  of  the  ultimate  suc- 
cess of  the  petition.  His  death,  however, 
cut  short  his  work,  and  the  object  is  still 
unaccomplished. 

Dr.  Comegys  was  always  a  student.  Not 
only  did  he  devote  himself  to  the  study  of 
the  books  and  publications  incident  to  his 
profession,  but  he  was  a  wide  reader  on  all 
subjects  and  especially  those  of  a  historical 
and  philosophical  nature.  Psychology  was  a 
favorite  study  and  much  of  his  leisure  time 
was  devoted  to  it.     In  traveling,    in  place  of 


48  coRNEivius  g:^orge  comkgys,  m.  d. 

the  works  of  fiction  usually  carried  by 
people,  lie  often  carried  with  him  a  small 
work  on  psychology.  Much  time,  and  es- 
pecially on  Sundays,  was  spent  in  the 
perusal  of  works  on  sacred  history  and  in 
the  study  of  the  Bible.  For  many  years  he 
taught  classes  of  adult  Bible  scholars  in  the 
Sunday  School.  The  writings  of  St.  Paul 
Avere  an  especial  delight  to  him,  and  he  read, 
exhaustively,  the  various  histories  of  the 
life  of  that  Apostle. 

He  believed  very  much  in  popular  lectures 
as  a  means  of  diffusing  knowledge.  During 
several  winters  he  got  up  courses  of  evening 
lectures  at  St.  Paul  M.  E.  Church ;  and,  be- 
sides lecturing  himself,  he  induced  many  of 
the  professors  and  teachers  in  the  Medical 
Colleges,  the  University  of  Cincinnati,  and 
the  High  Schools — besides  other  prominent 
men  of  intellect  in  the  city — to  appear.  One 
winter,  he  also  got  up  a  course  of  lectures  in 
the  class-rooms  of  the  Chickering  Institute,  in 
which,  for  several    afternoons  of   each  week, 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGE:   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  49 

lectures  were  given  by  some  of  tlie  able 
teacbers  of  tbat  scbool,  as  well  as  by  other 
teacbers  and  professional  men.  Tbese  were 
given  at  a  moderate  subscription  price,  to 
cover  expenses,  and  were  on  popular  subjects, 
such  as  bistory,  botany,  biology,  astronomy, 
medicine,  travel,  etc. 

Some  years  before  bis  deatb,  lie  realized  tbe 
close  business  relationship  which  was  spring- 
ing up  between  this  country  and  the  countries 
of  South  America  and  the  colonies  of  Spain  in 
the  West  Indies,  and  believed  that  our  young 
men  should  become  familiar  with  the  Spanish 
language.  It  was  just  being  introduced  into 
the  University  under  an  able  instructor ;  and, 
believing  this  to  be  a  favorable  opportunity  to 
give  others  this  advantage,  he  induced  this 
gentleman  to  start  a  class  in  St.  Paul  M.  E. 
Church,  where,  for  a  nominal  sum,  those  who 
desired  could  pursue  this  important  study. 

His  work  of  instruction  did  not  stop  here, 
but  was  extended  also  to  music,  of  which  he 
was  extremely  fond.     He  regarded   it  as  an 


50  CORNELIUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

important  factor  in  church  worship,  and  be- 
lieved it  should  be  better  understood  by  the 
younger  members  of  the  congregation.  Secur- 
ing the  services  of  one  of  the  best  organists 
and  choir-leaders  in  the  city,  he  started,  dur- 
ing one  season,  a  class  in  music  for  the  study 
of  reading,  by  sight,  various  anthems  and 
part  songs.  He  was,  afterwards,  the  chair- 
man of  the  music  committee,  and  frequently 
attended  the  rehearsals  of  the  choir,  in  which 
he  took  a  great  interest.  He  showed  his  ap- 
preciation by  his  words  of  encouragement  and 
the  offering  of  suggestions.  He  was  espe- 
cially fond  of  chanting,  which  he  believed  to 
be  ver}^  appropriate,  and  introduced  the  chant- 
ing of  the  Psalms  into  the  Sunday  service. 

In  his  efforts  to  place  higher  learning 
within  the  reach  of  the  young  (who  had  no 
better  friend  than  he  was).  Dr.  Comegys 
always  bore  in  mind  his  own  efforts  to  that 
end.  Remembering  his  own  early  life  as  a 
farmer's  boy,  and  his  struggles  to  obtain  more 
than  an  elementary  education,  he    made   an 


coRNKi^ius  ge:orgk  comkgys,  m.  d.  51 

effort  in  his  own  native  state,  Delaware,  to 
have  an  especial  school  established  for  the 
children  of  farmers  to  attend  in  the  -  winter 
time,  when  their  services  were  not  needed  for 
outdoor  work.  He  wrote  a  pamphlet  entitled 
"A  Plea  for  a  Farmer's  Institute,"  which  he 
circulated  extensively,  in  the  endeavor  to  have 
an  institution  founded  which  would  raise  the 
intelligence  of  the  farmers  to  the  highest 
degree  compatible  with  their  lives  and  sur- 
roundings. He  believed  this  would  not  only 
benefit  the  men  themselves,  but  have  an  ap- 
preciable effect  upon  the  productiveness  of  the 
soil.  The  method  of  instruction  should  be  by 
lectures  chiefly,  (though  text-books  were  also 
to  be  used  for  reference  and  private  study). 
This  would  not  only  raise  the  standard  of 
knowledge,  but  would  teach  the  chemical  pro- 
cesses by  which  over-worked  and  barren  lands 
might  be  rejuvenated  and  made  to  produce 
good  crops.  Instruction  to  farmers  had  been 
tried  in  Europe,  with  great  success.  An  insti- 
tute, therefore,  which  would  give  the  farmer 


52  CORNKlvIUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.   D. 

more  than  the  usual  rudimentary  amount 
of  learning,  and  would  enable  him  to  possess 
an  intelligent  realization  of  the  character  and 
composition  of  the  soil,  would  raise  the  stand- 
ard of  farming  so  high  as  to  be  of  the  utmost 
value  to  the  individual,  as  well  as  to  the  state 
in  which  he  lived.  Ways  and  means  were 
discussed  and  the  project  shown  to  be  thor- 
oughly feasible. 

On  his  own  farm,  Cherbourg,  where  he  was 
bom,  he  took  a  great  interest  in  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  ornamental  side  of  the  place,  in 
the  keeping  up  of  the  hedges,  and  the  plant- 
ing of  trees  and  flowers  in  the  lane  and  yard 
around  the  house.  He  believed  this  would 
not  only  add  attractiveness  to  the  home  of  the 
tenant,  but  would  cultivate  the  senses  and  in- 
spire a  love  for  the  beautiful  in  nature. 

But  he  did  not  confine  his  attention  on 
the  subject  of  culture  to  any  one  class  of 
persons,  nor  to  the  young.  He  strongly 
advocated  higher  culture  among  maturer 
minds  and  believed  that  a  necessity  existed, 


CORNKlylUS   GKORGK    COMKGYS,    M.   D.   .  53 

in  His  own  city,  for  tlie  formation  of  a  society 
for  that  purpose.  On  March  29,  1889,  lie 
delivered  an  address  before  the  Historical 
and  Philosophical  Society  in  which  he  took 
for  his  subject,  ''A  Plea  for  an  Institute." 
He  spoke  of  the  Royal  Society,  of  London, 
the  Institute  of  France,  at  Paris,  and  other 
similar  societies.  He  held  up  the  latter  as 
a  model  and  urged  the  formation  of  a  society 
in  this  city  to  be  known  as  the  ^'Institute  of 
Cincinnati."  This  address  was  afterwards 
printed  in  pamphlet  form  for  distribution. 

Dr.  Comegys  was  an  author,  and  a  con- 
tributor to  the  medical  journals.  His  largest 
work  was  the  translation,  from  the  French, 
of  the  "History  of  Medicine,"  by  Renouard 
— a  great  and  laborious  undertaking.  This 
book,  which  was  published  in  1855,  brought 
him  considerable  fame,  but  is  now,  unfortu- 
nately, out  of  print.  He  sometimes,  in  later 
years,  thought  of  revising  the  book  for  another 
edition,  but  the  tax  upon  his  time  and  strength 
precluded  this.     In  1 881,  he  translated  a  work 


54  CORNKLIUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

on  the  ''Diseases  of  the  Spinal  Cord,"  by 
Prof.  J.  M.  Charcot,  his  former  instructor  at 
Paris  and  who  had  afterwards  achieved  great 
fame.  His  medical  papers  were  numerous, 
and  among  them  were  :  "Conservative  Value 
of  Fever  and  Inflammation" — published  in 
the  transactions  of  the  Cincinnati  Medico- 
Chirurgical  Society,  1849  5  ^'Etiology  and 
Treatment  of  Phthisis  Pulmonalis"  —  pub- 
lished in  the  transactions  of  the  Ohio  Medical 
Society,  1854;  "The  Pathology  and  Treat- 
ment of  Asiatic  Cholera,"  1866,— published 
in  Blackman  and  Parvin's  "Cincinnati  Medical 
Journal" ;  an  address  before  the  Alumnal 
Society  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  in 
1875,  —  published  by  the  society.  In  this 
address  he  eulogized  Prof.  George  B.  Wood ; 
he  also  maintained  that  a  healthy  brain  is 
necessary  to  a  free  will.  He  spoke  of  the 
necessity  of  a  reform  in  medical  education  in 
the  line  of  entrance  examinations  and  of  a 
longer  period  of  instruction,  especially  for 
clinical  study  and  laboratory  work.     He  pro- 


CORNKlvIUS   GKORGK    COME^GYS,    M.  D.  55 

posed,  at  the  same  time,  the  encouragement 
of  the  practice,  by  physicians,  of  forensic 
medicine,  which,  he  argued,  would  secure  a 
higher  form  of  judicial  decisions  and  serve 
to  advance  the  medical  profession  to  higher 
rank  and  usefulness  in  the  state. 

He  also  strongly  advocated  and  wrote  a 
paper  on  the  value  of  hot  baths  in  febrile 
and  inflammatory  affections.  He  had  at  first 
started  with  cold  baths  ;  and,  concerning  this, 
Dr.  H.  C.  Wood,  editor  of  the  Philadelphia 
^'Medical  Times,"  after  repeated  trials  said  (in 
his  journal  in  1877) :  ^'It  must  be  granted  to 
Dr.  Comegys  the  discovery  of  the  most  life- 
saving  method  in  modern  therapeutics."  He, 
however,  found  hot  baths  more  efficacious  and 
less  distressing  to  the  patient.* 

But  this  enumeration  is  small  and  repre- 
sents, in  a  very  incomplete  manner,  his 
medical  writings.  He  was,  also,  a  ready  and 
prolific   writer  on  many   subjects — including 

*  See  Watson's  "Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  America," 
pp.  184-5. 


56  CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,   M.   D. 

editorial  work.  At  the  outset  of  his  career 
in  Cincinnati,  he  counted  among  his  friends 
and  patients  the  Rev.  Dr.  Simpson  (later 
Bishop  Simpson  of  the  M.  E.  Church), 
editor  of  the  ''Western  Christian  Advocate," 
who  recognized  the  abilities  of  the  young 
practitioner  and  made  him  the  assistant  editor 
of  that  paper.  When  Dr.  Comegys  went 
abroad  in  1851,  he  was  its  European  corre- 
spondent and  wrote  many  letters  which 
appeared  in  its  columns.  He  also  wrote 
foreign  letters  to  the  'Xadies^  Repository." 
Dr.  Comegys  was  a  trustee  of  Longview 
Asylum  for  the  Insane  for  three  years 
(1862-5),  and  did  much  towards  the  building 
up  of  that  institution.  His  visits  were  fre- 
quent and  he  spent  considerable  time  in  the 
study  of  the  phenomena  of  mental  and  nervous 
diseases,  and  believed  that  there  was,  at  that 
place,  a  good  field  for  clinical  teaching.  His 
familiarity  with  these  diseases,  and  his  study 
of  the  brain,  led  to  his  being  frequently 
called   as  an    expert  witness  in   the  trial  of 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.   D.  57 

cases  in  court  involving  tlie  mental  capacity 
of  testators. 

During  tlie  Civil  War  lie  was  greatly  inter- 
ested in  the  noble  work  of  tlie  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, and  did  much  actively  in  its  behalf. 
After  the  battle  at  Ft.  Donelson,  he  had 
charge  of  the  medical  department  of  a  hospital 
relief  steamboat  which  was  sent  to  Pittsburg 
Landing  to  bring  back  the  wounded  from  the 
battlefield.  As  a  relic  of  that  expedition  he 
brought  home  with  him  a  musket  found 
beside  the  dead  body  of  a  Confederate  soldier. 

Dr.  Comegys  was  a  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church,  v/hich  he  joined  earl 3^ 
in  life,  and  in  which  he  took  the  liveliest  and 
most  active  interest  for  nearly  sixty  years. 
He  was  not  only  a  teacher  of  medicine,  but 
also  of  religion.  He  was  a  close  student  of 
the  Bible,  and  gave  instruction  in  it  to  large 
and  intelligent  adult  classes  in  the  Sunday 
School.  His  last  membership,  which  covered 
many  years,  was  in  St.  Paul  M.  E.  Church,  of 
which  church  he  was  a  member  of  the  Official 
Board. 


58  CORNKUUS   GKORGK    COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

The  appreciation  in  which  Dr.  Comegys 
was  held  by  his  fellow-citizens,  and  the  kindly 
things  which  were  said  of  him  by  the  press 
after  his  death,  cannot  be  detailed  here.  It 
may  not  be  out  of  place,  however,  to  mention 
one  or  two,  which  were  especially  w^orthy  of 
note,  in  this  connection,  and  which  were  indic- 
ative of  the  estimate  given  to  his  character. 
Here  is  one : 

^'Dr.  Comegys,  whose  death  was  reported 
yesterday  morning,  was  one  of  the  strong 
men  of  the  city.  Belonging  to  a  profession 
which  taxes  the  energies  of  men  beyond  any 
other,  he  yet  found  time — only  busy  men  can 
tell  how — to  devote  a  great  deal  of  attention  to 
public  affairs.  As  a  member  of  Council,  he 
was  faithful  in  attendance,  controlled  always 
by  judgment,  and  animated  by  the  purest 
motives.  He  was  not  inspired  by  political 
ambition.  He  apparently  thought  that  a  citi- 
zen owed  service  to  the  city,  and  that  no  citi- 
zen could  be  a  good  citizen  who  did  not  do  his 
part  in  discharging  such  service.  Would 
there  were  more  like  him ! 


CORNKI.IUS  gkorg:^  comkgys,    M.   D.  59 

"In  affairs  of  the  University  lie  ever  took 
a  deep  interest.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  from  the  beginning,  we 
believe,  and  he  watched  the  slow  growth  of 
the  institution,  through  hard  times  and  dis- 
couraging conditions,  with  a  hope  and  zeal 
that  never  faltered.  As  a  physician  he  saw 
man}^  a  helpless  child  grow  into  vigorous 
youth.  So  watched  he  over  the  growth  and 
development  of  this  University,  giving  it  con- 
stant and  unwearied  attention. 

"He  was  a  great  physician,  but  the  practice 
of  medicine  does  not  involve  the  public  work 
that  the  law  does  ;  and  it  is  only  as  a  public 
spirited  citizen  that  a  journal  can  properly 
and  fully  speak  of  him.  Men  growl  about 
the  administration  of  a  city  government. 
They  growl  everywhere.  Here  was  a  man 
who  took  off  his  coat  and  went  to  work.  He 
received  no  pay  for  any  of  the  valuable  time 
and  more  valuable  counsel  he  gave.  He  con- 
tributed his  best  judgment,  his  best  thought 
to  the  city.     Whether  as  Councilman  or  mem- 


6o  CORNKlvIUS   GKORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

ber  of  the  School  Board,  he  devoted  to  the  city 
the  painstaking  care  that  he  would  have  used 
in  his  own  private  business  affairs.  He  held 
to  a  high  standard  of  honor,  and  he  exacted 
regard  for  that  standard  from  others. 

"We  say  again,  would  that  there  were  more 
like  him  in  this  city!  May  men  be  found 
who,  inspired  by  his  example,  will  come  to 
realize  that  of&ce-holding  is  a  duty,  and  that 
no  man  has  the  right  to  complain  who  does 
not  himself  try  to  make  better  the  public 
service  of  the  city.  Many  a  man  refuses  to 
run  for  office  whose  work  is  not  half  as  exact- 
ing as  was  that  of  Dr.  Comegys — and  he  went 
into  the  harness  early  in  life,  nor  put  it  off 
even  when  creeping  age  must  have  made  his 
work  hard. 

"He  was  a  good  and  useful  citizen.  Let 
some  one  come  forward  to  take  his  place."* 

We  venture,  also,  to  quote  a  paragraph 
from  another  journal : 

*  The  Cincinnati  Commercial  Gazette,  February  11,  1896. 
Editorial— "Dr.  Comegys  and  Pubuc  Spirit." 


CORNKlylUS    GKORGK   COME^GYS,    M.    D.  6 1 

^'Though  Dr.  Comegys  liad  been  living  for 
nearly  ten  years  on  what  aged  people  are 
sometimes  disposed  to  call  ^'borrowed  time," 
all  the  period  beyond  the  allotted  three  score 
and  ten  being  so  termed,  still  in  the  sense  of 
youthful  feeling,  with  a  keen  interest  in  cur- 
rent events  and  a  determination  to  keep 
abreast  of  the  times,  possibly  a  little  in  ad- 
vance, he  was  a  young  man.  To  the  mental 
and  physical  infirmities  of  a  burden  of  years 
he  was  a  comparative  stranger.  He  was  a 
broad  man  in  that  no  nev/  science  relating  to 
his  or  any  of  the  learned  professions  failed  to 
at  once  rivet  his  attention.  Something  of  the 
calibre  and  spirit  of  the  man  vv^as  shown  in  the 
fact  that  up  to  his  fatal  illness  he  was  as 
actively  engaged  in  the  exacting  duties  of  his 
laborious  profession  as  when  he  was  thirt}^  or 
forty  years  younger."  * 

Cincinnati  has  always  been  noted  for  the 
number  of  her  distinguished  physicians  and 

*  The  Cincinnati   Times-Star,  February  10,  1896.     "NoTE 
AND  Comment." 


62  CORNKI.IUS  gkorge;  comkgys,  m.  d. 

surgeons,  and  the  standard  is  likely  to  be 
maintained  for  many  years  to  come.  In  an 
address  on  ^'Medicine  and  Surgery  in  the 
Queen  City,"  delivered  at  the  Unity  Club  on 
March  25,  1896,  Dr.  James  T.  Whittaker,  one 
of  the  brightest  and  best  cultured  men  in  his 
profession,  says :  "No  city  in  the  country 
has  ever  surpassed  us  in  medicine.  Perhaps 
there  may  have  been  times  when  a  better 
sermon  could  be  heard,  or  a  higher  legal  opin- 
ion obtained  in  New  York,  or  some  other 
Eastern  city,  but  there  never  was  a  time  when 
a  diagnosis  of  a  disease  could  be  better  made, 
or  an  operation  be  better  done  elsewhere  than 
here." 

During  his  account  of  the  progress  of  medi- 
cine and  surgery  from  earliest  Cincinnati  to 
the  present  day.  Dr.  Whittaker  sketches  the 
lives  of  Drs.  Daniel  Drake,  George  C.  Black- 
man,  James  Graham,  W.  W.  Dawson,  and 
Cornelius  G.  Comeg^^s — with  occasional  refer- 
ences to  many  other  noted  men  of  the  profes- 
sion.    Much  of   the   address,  however,   must 


CORNEI.IUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.   D.  63 

have  been  written  during  the  lifetime  of  Dr. 
Comegys,  for,  in  his  account  of  the  life  of  Dr. 
Dawson,  he  speaks  of  Dr.  Comegys  as  the  last 
survivor  in  the  old  galaxy  of  Drs.  Menden- 
hall,  Wood,  and  Comegys,  who,  as  colleagues 
of  Dr.  Dawson,  taught  in  the  Medical  Insti- 
tute of  Cincinnati  in  1851. 

But  he  continues  :  '^Dr.  Comegys,  to  whom 
I  have  alluded  as  the  last  survivor,  has  just 
died.  He  was  the  most  beloved  man  in  our 
profession,  both  in  and  out  of  it.  Comegys 
was  a  big,  br^oad  man,  who  had  climbed,  by 
hard  w^ork,  to  a  point  of  broad  survey.  He 
had  great  ambition,  and  was  busy  with 
schemes  day  and  night  to  such  a  degree  as  to 
be  regarded  almost  as  a  dreamer.  But  his 
ideas  ran  always  onward  and  upv/ard,  and  he 
kept  his  eyes  so  constantly  fixed  upon  the 
goal  as  to  be  unmindful  of  the  obstacles  in  his 
way.  Some  of  his  practical  friends  considered 
him  visionary.  He  did  really  see  visions,  but 
always  of  things  more  perfect  and  pure  than 
those  by  whom  he  was  surrounded.    Comegys 


64  CORNKI.IUS   G:eORGK    COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

was  an  embodiment  of  integrity,  purity,  and 
truth.  Like  Schiller,  he  believed  that  every 
man  has  opened  out  before  him  two  courses  ; 
one  leads  to  the  ideal,  the  other  to  death.  But 
Comeg3^s  could  never  see  anything  but  the 
course  toward  the  ideal.  By  hard  work  and 
much  self-sacrifice  he  made  himself  a  fine 
scholar.  And  all  his  life  he  strained  his  abil- 
ities to  their  utmost  capacity  in  the  service  of 
his  fellow-men. 

''Hear  him  as  he  marks  out  the  career  of 
the  ph3^sician :  'We  march  with  armies  to 
care  for  the  footsore  and  fevered  soldier,  and 
follow  him,  too,  through  the  thickest  of  the 
fire,  not  to  aid  destruction  in  her  work,  but 
to  staunch  the  wounds  she  makes.  It  is 
not  the  trumpet  call,  nor  the  roar  of  battle 
that  arouses  our  activity  in  the  great  con- 
flict ;  but  the  cries  of  the  wounded  and  dying 
— the  appalling  ruin  of  the  field  that  inspires 
our  enthusiasm  amidst  the  dark  splendor  of 
war.  The  call  of  the  distressed  by  night 
and   day  incites    our    energies    and   supports 


CORNKlylUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  65 

our  weariness.  Not  only  in  crowded  places, 
where  tHe  ways  are  easy,  but  in  sparsely 
settled  regions,  amidst  the  sharp  vicissitudes 
of  the  seasons,  by  lonely  paths,  or  in  moun- 
tain defiles,  unmindful  of  the  tempest,  we 
plod  our  weary  way,  the  perturbations  of 
our  anxious  hearts  keeping  time  with  the 
fret  of  the  storm.  On  every  hand,  infirmity, 
sickness,  helplessness,  fearful  casualties, 
bereavement,  despair,  death ;  hoping  to 
strengthen,  hoping  to  assuage  or  to  avert, 
our  days  are  occupied  ;  sustaining  the  hopes, 
the  agonies,  the  distresses  of  society,  our 
responsibilities  are  momentous,  our  burdens 
are  often  too  heavy  to  bear.' 

"Hear  him  again  as  he  pleads  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  people  against  the  frauds  and 
wickedness  of  the  quack :  '  When  the  human 
mechanism  becomes  deranged,  and  a  great 
contest  is  set  up  between  the  forces  of 
disease  and  the  vital  forces,  who  shall 
attempt  to  interfere?  The  man  who  has  made 
these   laws  a  study,    who   knows    the    opera-. 


66  CORNKlvIUS    GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

tions  of  tlieir  final  causes,  who  compreliends 
as  far  as  science  lias  shed  light  upon  the 
subject,  their  special  and  general  operations? 
Or  the  man  who  is  ignorant  of  the  entire 
mechanism,  and,  laying  aside  all  such  labor 
and  investigation,  attempts  to  rescue  the 
suffering  system  by  remedies  which,  accord- 
ing to  his  gross  views,  have  been  successful 
in  a  similar  case?  An  irreparable  injury, 
or  even  death  itself  may  be  the  result  of 
this  ignorant  interference,  and  what  atone- 
ment then  does  the  prosecution  of  an  irre- 
sponsible man  afford  ?' 

^'  'In  regard  to  medicine,  everyone,'  he  con- 
tinues, 'must  look  out  for  himself.  With 
the  same  indifference,  we  ought  not  to  have 
a  standard  of  weights  and  measures,  nor  a 
fixed  value  of  coin,  nor  protection  against 
issues  of  paper  money.  Let  every  one  take 
care  of  himself.  No  man  can  assume  to  be 
a  respectable  minister  of  the  Gospel  without 
the  license  of  a  church  organization ;  no 
man  can   practice   law   without   an   approved 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    D.  67 

examination  before  a  court ;  no  man  can 
teach  without  a  certificate  of  qualification ; 
no  man  can  sell  goods  or  peddle  goods,  or 
drive  a  dray  or  a  cab,  or  an  express  wagon, 
without  registering  and  a  license.  The  pub- 
lic is  defended  from  the  impositions  of  the 
hackney  coachman,  but  not  from  the  quack 
doctor  and  patent-medicine  vender.  No  man 
is  believed  to  be  a  carpenter,  or  a  machinist, 
or  a  master  in  any  other  profession,  unless 
he  has  served  an  apprenticeship  to  it. 
Then  why,  I  ask,  in  the  name  of  honesty 
and  civilization,  when  we  come  to  consider 
the  human  frame,  the  most  wonderful  struc- 
ture of  God,  the  divine  idea  of  mechanism, 
in  whose  structure  a  thousand  wonderful 
and  complicated  actions  are  in  play,  many 
of  whose  laws,  after  more  than  two  thousand 
years  of  investigation,  are  still  unknown, 
— why,  I  say,  do  our  governments  surrender 
this  beautiful  structure  to  be  prostituted  to 
the  mercenary  practices  of  charlatans  ?' 

''  A  large  part  of  his  life  was  spent  in  an 


68  CORNKlvIUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

appeal  for  legislation  to  improve  our  sanitary 
conditions  and  to  subdue  the  curse  of  quack- 
ery. He  read,  lie  plead,  lie  labored  for  the 
creation  of  a  Minister  of  Health  in  the 
Cabinet  Department  at  Washington.  He  had 
personal  interviews  with  the  President,*  and 
it  is  to  the  credit  of  the  strong,  good  man  who 
now  occupies  this  chair  that  he  listened  to 
him  with  interest,  and  was  not  unmoved  by 
his  argument.  But  it  was  thought  that  the 
time  was  not  ripe.  It  certainly  must  come 
soon,  and  w^hen  it  comes  there  will  be  general 
lament  that  the  man  who  was  best  fitted  to 
fill  the  place  first, — ivit  ad  plures, — had  gone 
before. 

Comegys  kept  his  youth  to  the  last ;  he 
was  interested  in  medicine  to  the  very  last 
day.  '  We  must  talk  over  the  scheme  of  the 
University,'  he  would  say  to  me,  whenever 
I  chanced  to  meet  him.  He  could  discuss 
any    subject    in    medicine    with    any    of    the 


*    The  above  reference  is  to  Mr.  Cleveland,  then  President  of 
the  United  States.— Ed. 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  69 

younger  men,  and  with  what  freshness  and 
philanthropy  !  In  the  discussion  of  the  fresh- 
air  treatment  of  tuberculosis  at  the  Academy, 
only  yesterday  it  seems,  he  told  the  story  of 
a  young  man  who  had  recently  consulted  him. 
He  had  to  say  to  him  that  his  case  was 
hopeless  here,  and  to  advise  him  to  seek  change 
of  air.  '  But,'  said  the  young  man,  '  I  have 
no  means  even  to  buy  a  street-car  ticket.' 
Dr.  Comegys  informed  him  that  money  was 
not  necessary ;  that  he  should  start  and  walk 
to  Atlanta,  and  beg  his  way.  He  would  give 
him,  he  said,  a  certificate  of  his  condition  and 
everybod}^  would  help  him  on  the  road.  He 
could  travel  like  a  German  student  on  his 
Wanderjahre^  and  no  one  would  refuse  him 
food.  'Silver  and  gold  have  I  none,  but  such 
as  I  have  give  I  thee.' 

"  Comegys  had  the  pure  spirit  of  disciple- 
ship.  This  is  what  he  said  once  of  one  of  his 
teachers  and  in  the  presence  of  him  in  a  pub- 
lic address.  It  was  in  the  last  days  of  George 
Wood,  and  the  occasion  was  a  speech  which 


70  CORNELIUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,   M.    D. 

rigHtly  made  him  famous  before  the  Alumni 
Association  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  Academy  of  Music  was  crowded  with  the 
elite  of  Philadelphia,  for  in  that  city  the  peo- 
ple still  take  deep  interest  in  medical  affairs. 
The  old  master  sat  on  the  stage,  the  central 
figure  in  a  flood  of  light,  but  there  was  a 
shadow  in  front  of  him — the  dark  line  of  the 
scythe  of  the  reaper,  who  was  even  then  stand- 
ing close  behind  his  chair.  'Venerable  and 
remarkable  man  !  Who,  without  ever  laboring 
for  fame,  has  received  it;  who,  without  ever 
climbing  for  great  stations,  has  been  lifted 
into  them  ;  and  no  man  ever  suspected  his 
capability  for  them,  or  envied  him  his  well- 
merited  success.' 

''  'Over  a  vast  sea,  beyond  all  storms,'  he 
continued  with  his  apostrophe,  'I  behold  a 
barque  slowly  moving  through  sluggish 
waters,  borne  so  gently  by  the  breeze  that 
fills  the  stiffened  sails  that  not  a  ripple  breaks 
upon  the  heavy  waves.  Serenely  stands  the 
master  at  his  post,  steering  for  his  last  harbor. 


CORNKI.IUS    GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  7 1 

Somber  and  shadowy  is  the  scene  about 
him;  yet  across  yon  headland  comes  a  rosy 
tinge  of  sheen,  lighting  up  the  tranqxiil  face 
of  the  lone  voyager  who  seeks  the  port  of 
peace,' 

"  These  are  the  men  who  for  three-quarters 
of  a  century  have  borne  the  standard  of  med- 
icine and  surgery  in  the  Queen  City  of  the 
West.  You  may  not  point  out  in  other  fields 
greater  purity  of  purpose,  sacrifice  of  self, 
usefulness  to  others,  than  these  lives  have  led, 
or  show  sentiments  more  sublime  than  these 
ideas  have  expressed.  And  the  rank  and  file 
which  followed,  though  failing  from  lack  of 
opportunity  or  ability  to  express  themselves 
in  the  same  way,  have  led  the  same  lives  and 
h'eld  to  the  same  ideals. 

''  The  memory  of  them  inspires  us.  We,  too, 
believe  in  necromancy,  as  we  know  that  wis- 
dom and  inspiration  come  from  consulting  the 
oracles  of  the  dead.  It  is  as  Ruskin  said: 
^The  grave  is  the  best  pulpit;  the  voice 
reaches  farthest  from  the  grave.' 


72  CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK    COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

^'  lu  contemplating  the  lives  of  tliese  men 
the  3^oung  physician  may  well  be  proud  of  his 
profession.  When  Correggio  stood  before  a 
picture  of  Raphael,  he  cried :  ^Auch'  io  sono 
pittore' — *I,  too,  am  a  painter;'  and  Byron, 
when  he  stood  by  the  tomb  of  Galileo,  ex- 
claimed :    'He  was  one  of  us.'     *     jjj     *  ." 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Comegys  had  a  family  of 
six  children — two  daughters  and  four  sons : 
Ellen  Tiffin  Comegys,  Mary  Porter  Comegys, 
Cornelius  Marim  Comegys,  Edward  Tiffin 
Comegys,  William  Henry  Comegys,  and 
Charles  George  Comegys.  The  daughters 
were  born  in  Lawrenceburg,  Indiana,  the 
oldest  son,  Cornelius,  in  Philadelphia,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  the  other  three  sons  in  Cin- 
cinnati. With  the  exception  of  Cornelius, 
who  died  of  typhoid  fever  at  the  age  of 
twenty  years,  all  the  children  survived  their 
parents.  The  daughters  and  youngest  son, 
Charles,  an  attorney  at  law,  resided  with 
their  parents  and  still  live  in  Cincinnati. 
Major  Edward  T.  Comegys,  M.  D.,  Surgeon, 


CORNELIUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    D.  73 

U.  S.  Army,  and  Major  William  H.  Comegys, 
Paymaster,  U.  S.  Army,  reside  at  the  several 
army  stations  to  which  they  may  be  assigned. 
All  are  unmarried  with  the  exception  of 
Edward,  who  has  been  twice  married.  On 
February  14,  1882,  he  married  Minnie  G. 
Notson,  daughter  of  Major  William  M. 
Notson,  Surgeon,  U.  S.  Arm}^,  by  whom  he 
had  one  child :  Edward  Ti£B.n  Comegys,  Jr. 
His  wife  died  December  6,  1884.  On  May  5, 
1887,  he  married  Grace  Willcox,  daughter 
of  General  Oriando  B.  Willcox,  U.  S. 
Army,  by  whom  he  had  three  children : 
Cornelius  Willcox,  Gerald  Farnsworth,  and 
Leonard  Marim  Comegys.  All  the  children 
are  living,  except  Gerald,  who  died  at  a 
very  early  age. 

The  outlines  of  the  life  of  Dr.  Comegys 
sketched  above  seem  meager  and  perhaps 
fail  to  do  anything  except  to  indicate  the 
salient  points  of  his  career.  His  fellow- 
workers,  friends,  and  patients  could,  no  doubt, 
add  much,  even  unknown  to  his  own  family ; 


74  coRNKWus  gkorg:^  comkgys,  m.  d. 

for  lie  was  not  boastful  of  his  deeds,  nor 
asked  for  recognition  for  his  services.  The 
results  speak  for  themselves,  though  his 
long  life  was  too  short  to  do  what  he  hoped 
to  accomplish. 

It  is  always  hard  for  a  man  of  an  active, 
buoyant  temperment  to  realize  that  the 
infirmities  of  age  are  creeping  upon  him, 
and  that  his  life's  work  is  drawing  to  a 
close.  So  it  was  with  Dr.  Comegys.  His 
was  not  a  disposition  which  gave  up  easily, 
or  retired  to  dream  over  the  events  of  the 
past.  He  kept  in  touch  with  his  profession 
and  busied  himself  with  the  duties  of  the 
hour.  There  was  no  lack  of  energ}^  on  his 
part  and  his  executive  powers  were  still 
great.     These  he  used  to  the  last. 

His  wife  died  on  July  13,  1895,  and  in 
less  than  a  year  he  followed  her.  Within 
a  few  weeks  of  his  death  he  appeared  to  be 
in  his  usual  health ;  but,  on  Saturday,  the 
eleventh  day  of  January,  1896,  he  came  home 
sick    with   nausea,    and   what   was   not  then 


CORNKlvIUS   GEORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  75 

supposed  to  be  very  serious  proved  to  be  bis 
last  illness.  At  first  be  was  merely  confined 
to  tbe  bouse  and,  tbougb  sick  and  nauseated, 
be  saw  some  of  bis  patients  and  even  beld 
a  joint  committee  meeting,  composed  of  mem- 
bers of  tbe  University  Board  and  repre- 
sentatives from  tbe  Obio  Medical  College, 
in  reference  to  tbe  proposed  medical  depart- 
ment of  tbe  University.  Later,  on  January 
28,  serious  symptoms  set  in  and  be  was 
confined  to  bis  bed,  from  wbicb  be  never 
arose.  His  deatb  occurred  at  a  quarter  to 
one  o'clock  in  tbe  morning  of  tbe  tentb  day 
of  February,  1896.* 

*  Note. — He  died  of  "uraemia." 


IN    HIS    SIXTIETH    YKAK. 


CORNKI.IUS    GKORGE   COMKGYvS,   M.    D.  77 


FUNERE  SERVICES  AT  ST.  PAUL  M.  E.  CHURCH. 

February  12,  1896. 


The  funeral  services  of  Dr.  C.  G.  Comegys 
were  held  in  St.  Paul  M.  E.  Church,  southwest 
corner  of  Seventh  and  Smith  Streets,  at  two 
o'clock  on  Wednesday  afternoon,  February 
12,  1896. 

The  church  was  filled  by  the  friends  of  the 
deceased  to  the  number  of  one  thousand  or 
more.  The  Board  of  Directors,  faculty,  and 
students  of  the  University,  above  fifty  of  the 
leading  physicians  of  the  city,  the  Official 
Board  of  the  church,  those  connected  with  the 
several  institutions  of  which  he  was  a  mem- 
ber, and  hundreds  of  personal  friends  were 
present.  The  services  throughout  were  sim- 
ple and  solemn,  making  a  deep  impression 
upon  all. 

The  pastor.  Rev.  J.  M.  Meeker,  Ph.  D.,  was 
assisted  in  the  services  by  Rev.  Frank  Woods 


78  CORNKlvIUS   GKORGK   COME^GYS,    M.   D. 

Baker,  D.  D.,  rector  of  St.  Paul's  P.  E. 
Church,  aud  Rev.  D.  H.  Moore,  D.  D.,  editor 
of  the  '^Western  Christian  Advocate." 

At  the  house  the  pastor  offered  a  brief 
prayer,  and  at  the  church  read  the  Scripture 
sentences  as  the  body  was  borne  to  the  front 
of  the  chancel,  while  the  organ  sounded  the 
solemn  notes  of  the  '^Cujus  Animam"  from 
the  ''Stabat  Mater." 

The  congregation  arose  as  the  funeral 
cortege  entered,  and  remained  standing  while 
a  male  quartet  from  St.  Paul's  P.  E.  Church 
impressively  chanted,  'Xord,  Let  Me  Know 
Mine  End  and  the  Number  of  My  Days." 

Rev.  Dr.  Baker  read  the  Scripture  selec- 
tions, the  ninetieth  Psalm,  and  a  portion  of 
the  fifteenth  chapter  of  I.  Corinthians. 

The  hymn,  "Asleep  in  Jesus,"  was  sung  by 
the  quartet,  following  which  the  pastor,  Rev. 
Dr.  Meeker,  made  a  brief  address,  in  which, 
while  recognizing  the  high  professional,  intel- 
lectual, and  social  standing  of  Dr.  Comegys, 
he  emphasized  his  most  striking  characteristic 


CORNKlvIUS   GEORGE    COMEGYS,    M.    D.  79 

of  a  Christlike  life  and  devotion  to  the  spirit- 
ual good  of  others.  The  quartet  then  chanted 
"Come  Unto  Me,  All  Ye  that  Labor  and  Are 
Heavy  Laden,"  by  Flemming.  This  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  fervent  and  sympathetic  prayer, 
offered  by  Dr.  Moore. 

To  the  notes  of  the  solemn  "Funeral 
March,"  by  Chopin,  the  sad  procession  moved 
out  of  the  church. 

The  active  pallbearers  were  Drs.  J.  C. 
Oliver  and  J.  A.  Thompson,  of  the  medical 
profession,  and  his  o£S.ce  associates ;  A.  B. 
Benedict  and  E.  K.  Stallo,  of  the  University 
Board ;  Professor  Ward  Baldwin,  of  the  Uni- 
versity faculty,  and  W.  E.  Brooks,  of  the  Offi- 
cial Board  of  St.  Paul  M,  E.  Church.  The 
honorary  pallbearers  were  his  attending  phy- 
sicians, prominent  members  of  the  medical 
profession,  the  Board  of  Directors  and  Clerk 
of  the  University,  members  of  the  Official 
Board  of  the  church,  members  of  various 
boards  and   institutions  with   which   he   was 


8o  CORNKlvIUS   GKORGB   COMB^GYS,   M.    D. 

connected,  and  many  of  his  old  and  personal 
friends. 

The  interment  was  in  Spring  Grove  Ceme- 
tery, where  the  last  rites  were  recited  by  Rev. 
Dr.  Meeker  in  the  presence,  only,  of  the  fam- 
ily and  relatives. 


CORNEIvIUS   GKORGB   COMKGYS,    M.    D. 


MEMORIAL  MEETING  OF  THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 

February  11,  1896. 


At  a  called  meeting  of  tlie  medical  profes- 
sion of  Cincinnati,  on  February  ii,  1896,  tlie 
following  resolution  was  adopted,  requested 
printed  in  the  medical  and  public  press,  en- 
grossed upon  tlie  minutes  of  tlie  Academy  of 
Medicine  of  Cincinnati,  and  a  copy  sent  to  tbe 
bereaved  family  : 

'^Tlie  medical  profession  is  assembled  to-day 
to  express  a  last  word  in  memory  of  their  late 
associate,  Dr.  C.  G.  Comegys. 

"  IJe  was  no  ordinary  man.  For  forty-eigbt 
years  lie  has  been  a  notable  figure,  not  only 
in  liis  profession,  but  as  a  citizen  of  pure  life, 
of  honest  purposes,  serving  the  public  faith- 
fully, and  with  great  ability  in  various  posi- 
tions. 

''  In  all  his  relations  with  us,  his  professional 
brethren,  he  was  a  gentleman,  moved  by  the 


82  CORNKLIUS   GKORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

Spirit  of  doing  unto  others  as  he  would  have 
them  do  to  him.  He  detested  everything  that 
savored  of  the  empiric. 

"A  man  of  gentle,  liberal  spirit,  he  was  char- 
itable and  forgiving.  He  was,  indeed,  the 
friend  of  his  profession,  esteeming  its  object 
to  prevent  disease  and  to  do  good  to  all. 

''He  was  the  friend  of  young  men,  and  by 
his  words  of  encouragement  and  his  example 
did  much  to  aid  them.  Yes,  he  did  much 
to  elevate  the  tone  of  the  profession  in  this 
city. 

''  Dr.  Comegys  was  a  man  of  superior  intel- 
lect. He  fully  exemplified  the  fact  that  the 
strong  physician  is  one  whose  mind  is  not 
'cabined,  cribbed,  or  confined'  by  strictly  tech- 
nical and  professional  reading,  but  is  enlarged 
by  all  collateral  studies  and  observation.  He 
very  early  achieved  a  prominent  place  as  a 
practitioner.  He  was  a  sound  counsellor,  a 
good  clinician,  a  clear  lecturer  and  teacher. 
He  was  the  advocate  of  higher  education  for 
the  people  and  for  medical  students.     He  did 


CORNKIvIUS   GKORGK   C0ME:GYS,   M.    D.  83 

mucli  by  word  and  deed  to  further  this  great 
object. 

"  He  believed  his  profession,  in  its  ability  to 
do  good  mentally,  morall}^,  and  physically,  su- 
perior to  any  other.  He  often  spoke  of  the 
power  of  the  good,  able  physician. 

^'  He  originated  the  idea  of  having  a  Board 
of  Health  created  by  Congress,  whose  head 
should  be  a  ph3^sician  and  a  Cabinet  officer. 
His  idea  will  vet  take  form.  He  advocated 
that  ph^^sicians  should  be  representatives  of 
the  people  in  Congress  and  the  State  Legis- 
latures. 

"A  man  of  deep  religious  convictions,  and 
yet  charitable  to  all,  he  was  dominated  by 
the  spirit  of  walking  humbly  and  acting 
mercifully,  serving  Him  whom  he  regarded  as 
his  Master  and  Saviour.  He  did  not  believe 
that  it  was  all  of  life  to  live  or  all  of  death 
to  die. 

"  He  belonged  to  the  time  when  the  general 
practitioner  was  not  only  the  medical  adviser, 
but  the  counsellor  and  friend  of  his  clients. 


84  CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.   D. 

There  were  giauts  in  those  days.  Up  to  a  few 
weeks  before  his  death  our  departed  friend 
showed  the  ability  and  superiority  of  the  gen- 
eral practitioner. 

''  He  is  an  example  for  every  young  strug- 
gling man.  His  honesty,  his  high  tone,  his 
noble  purposes,  his  usefulness,  should  impress 
his  memory  on  all.     Let  us  cherish  it. 

(Signed)  John  A.  Murphy. 

B.  P.  GooDE. 

Wm.  H.  Taylor. 

Joseph  Eichberg." 

Tribute  of  a  former  student  to  the  memory 
of  Dr.  Comegys,  delivered  at  the  Academy  of 
Medicine  of  Cincinnati,  on  Tuesday,  February 
II,  1896,  at  a  called  meeting: 

^''Mr.  President — I  want  to  say  a  few  words 
of  tribute  to  the  memory  of  one  who  was  both 
my  physician,  teacher,  and  my  friend,  and 
who  probably  had  a  stronger  hold  on  my 
heart-strings  than  any  other  member  of  my 
profession  in  this  city.     On  meditating  over 


CORNELIUS   GKORGK    COMKGYS,    M.    D.  85 

the  all-wise  problems  of  nature,  I  sometimes 
think  that,  as  each  human  being  is  born, 
nature  holds  back  a  certain  portion  of  its 
reserve  forces,  and  stores  them  away  in  a  sort 
of  strong  box ;  that  once  in  every  decade  or 
generation  these  forces  are  given  out  to  one  or 
more  creations  who  are  destined  to  be  leaders 
of  men,  to  mold  human  thought,  and  to  create 
the  history  of  their  age.  At  one  time  a  great 
divine  is  thus  given  to  the  world ;  at  another 
time  a  great  statesman,  a  great  general,  a 
great  poet,  and  a  great  physician.  I  think 
that  Dr.  Comegys  received  a  liberal  share  of 
these  endowments  from  nature's  strong  box, 
for  he  certainly  was  well  endowed  with  those 
faculties  that  go  to  make  the  great  physician  ; 
he  was  in  fact  one  of  those  giants  in  medicine 
that,  in  general  practice,  are  growing  scarcer 
and  scarcer  in  our  profession. 

"  Dr.  Comegys  was  not  only  a  great  student 
of  the  medical  literature  of  this  country,  but 
also  in  that  of  foreign  countries  as  well. 
During  his  younger  years  in  the  practice  of 


86  CORNKLIUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,   M.    D. 

liis  profession  he  translated  from  the  French 
one  of  the  most  extensive  works  of  that  time 
on  the  history  of  medicine.  He  was  a  par- 
ticularly warm  admirer  of  the  French  school 
of  medicine,  and  during  his  student-years  at 
Paris  and  afterwards,  he  enjoyed  the  acquaint- 
ance and  friendship  of  such  men  as  Trous- 
seau, Nelaton,  Charcot,  and  others,  who  for 
nearl}^  a  century  molded  the  medical  minds  of 
France.  Of  the  great  services  he  rendered  to 
medicine  in  our  city  and  country  you  are  all 
aware. 

''One  of  the  greatest  measures  which  he  ad- 
vocated during  the  closing  years  of  his  brilliant 
career  was  his  bill  asking  the  National  Con- 
gress to  enact  a  law  placing  a  member  of  our 
profession  in  the  President's  Cabinet  as  Sec- 
retary of  the  Department  of  Health. 

"  In  character  Dr.  Comegys  was  of  that 
grand  and  lofty  type  that  scorns  expediency, 
but  endeavors  to  perform  every  duty  from  mo- 
tives of  right.  His  heart  was  as  tender  and 
sympathetic  as  that  of  a  woman,  and  the  young 


CORNBI.IUS   GKORGE   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  87 

man  wlio  went  to  him  for  counsel,  in  his 
sorrows  or  disappointments,  always  came 
away  feeling  better  and  with  more  manly 
resolves  for  the  morrow.  It  could  hardly  be 
otherwise,  for  Dr.  Comegys'  words  of  advice 
and  cheer  always  contained  the  sunbeams  of 
hope. 

''  I  had  the  honor  of  serving  for  a  term  in 
the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  University  of 
Cincinnati  with  the  deceased,  and  during  that 
time  I  learned  to  appreciate  his  zeal  and 
earnestness  in  the  cause  of  education  and  of 
broad  humanity.  He  was  in  this,  as  in  every- 
thing else  that  he  undertook,  faithful  and 
zealous  to  a  degree  that  won  the  admiration  of 
his  associates.  Dr.  Comegys  possessed  one 
of  those  beautiful,  sunshiny  natures  that  was 
pleasant  to  contemplate.  It  was  a  nature  that 
was  as  modest  and  as  free  from  affectation  as 
that  of  a  child.  It  was  a  nature  that  was  as 
thoroughly  free  from  envy  and  guile  as  that 
first  faint  streak  of  dawn  that  one  sees  in  its 
sublimes t  grandeur  on  the  ocean,  away  off  in 


88  CORNKlvlUS   GEORGE)   COMKGYS,   M.    D. 

the  distance,  where  the  mighty  expanse  of 
water  touches  the  horizon,  and  which  heralds 
the  approaching  day."  * 


*  From  account  published  in  the  Western  Christian  Advocate^ 
February  19,  1S96,  of  remarks  made  by  Dr.  Francis  Dowling. 


CORNKI.IUS    GKORGK    COMKGYS,    M.    D.  89 


IN  MEMORIAM. 


Cornelius  G»  Comegys* 


"There  is  no  death!     What  seems  so  is  transition; 

This  life  of  mortal  breath 
Is  but  a  suburb  of  the  life  Blysian, 

Whose  portal  we  call  Death." 


"A  eulogy  or  studied  words  of  commenda- 
tion upon  the  life  and  character  of  tlie  late 
Professor  Cornelius  G.  Comegys  cannot  be 
given  in  the  brief  space  allotted  in  a  medical 
journal's  columns.  It  would  require  many 
pages  to  do  full  justice  to  a  man  whose 
scholarly  ability  and  high  character  have 
commanded  the  respect  of  a  community  for 
the  space  of  more  than  half  a  century.  For 
all  these  years  Dr.  Cornelius  G.  Comegys 
was  constantly  under  the  eye  of  the  public, 
holding  many  important  official  positions  to 
which   he   had  been   elevated  by  his   fellow- 


90  CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

citizens,  who  appreciated  his  sterling  integrity, 
both  in  professional  and  public  life.  To  every 
official  position  to  which  he  was  ever  called 
this  man  gave  his  best  time  and  abilities. 
A  man  of  broad  views,  he  was  a  determined 
spirit,  yet  his  convictions  and  conclusions 
were  always  expressed  in  a  kindly  and 
courteous  manner. 

^^  In  official  life  he  was  not  a  seeker  after 
personal  aggrandizement.  As  a  member  of 
the  University  Board  of  Cincinnati  his  self- 
abnegation  and  personal  devotion  to  the 
cause  of  higher  education  will  ever  be  remem- 
bered by  all  those  who  had  the  pleasure 
of  knowing  him  as  an  associate.  Dr.  Cor- 
nelius G.  Comegys  has  left  a  reputation  as 
a  rich  heritage,  a  sweet  memory,  to  those 
who  love  virtue  in  official  life ;  and  the 
future  historian  of  this  great  city,  looking 
over  the  many,  many  years  of  faithful 
public  service  rendered  by  the  deceased  in 
his  various  positions  of  Alderman,  member 
of   the    Board   of   Education,    and  University 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  9 1 

Board,  will  accord  him  the  credit  for  the 
prominent  part  he  always  took  in  the  pro- 
motion of  all  that  pertains  to  the  trne  and 
beautiful  for  the  masses  of  the  people,  to 
whom  his  heart  ever  went  out.  Let  others 
speak  of  his  medical  abilities  and  brilliant 
mental  attainments.  We  speak  of  him 
simply  as  a  great  and  good  citizen,  one 
whose  name  will  ever  be  identified  with  the 
growth  and  rounding  out  of  a  town  and  its 
evolution  to  a  great,  populous  city. 

Dr.  Cornelius  G.  Comegys  lived  long 
beyond  the  usual  time  allotted  to  man,  and 
he  compressed  in  the  space  of  that  life  an 
immense  amount  of  mental  and  physical 
exertion.  Like  one  of  the  brave  Knights 
of  old,  he  passed  away  to  the  silent  beyond 
still  clad  in  his  armor,  'faithful  unto  the 
end.'  To  him  has  come  that  long  and  well- 
deserved  rest  that  all  receive  but  that  few 
deserve.  The  name  of  Cornelius  G.  Comegys 
will  shine  as  long  as  Cincinnati  exists  in 
name.     Thougfh  the   star  of  his  life  has  set. 


92  CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK    COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

it  sets  'As  the  morning  star,  wliich  goes  not 
down  behind  the  darkened  west,  but  melts 
away  into  the  brightness  of  the  coming  day.' 

T.  C.  M."* 


"  Dr.  T,  C.  Minor.     (Published  in  Laticet-Clinic.) 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGE:   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  93 


Cornelius  G»  Comegys. 

^'The  death  of  a  good  man,  grown  old  in  the 
service  of  humanit}^,  should  call  for  more  than 
passing  notice,  because  of  the  vast  influence 
such  a  life  has  exerted  upon  those  with  whom 
he  has  come  in  contact,  and  that  his  character 
may  serve  as  a  model  to  those  of  us  who 
remain. 

Dr.  Comegys  has  been  a  most  useful  man 
in  this  community  because  of  his  life  and 
example.  He  was  a  dignified,  courtly  gentle- 
man, and  consequently  a  man  whose  whole 
life  was  one  of  dignity,  honor,  and  conscien- 
tious devotion  to  duty. 

A  few  of  the  characteristics  which  stood  out 
pre-eminently  in  his  character  showed  the 
secret  of  his  success  and  power.  He  was  an 
enthusiast,  and  never  allowed  obstacles  to 
darken  for  one  moment  the  light  of  his  zeal. 
No  better  example  of  his  enthusiasm  can  be 
given  than  his  steadfast  faith  in  the  future  of 


94  CORNKIvIUS   GKORGe;   COMKGYS,    M.   D. 

the  University  of  Cincinnati.  When  this  in- 
stitution was  menaced  by  foes  without  and 
enemies  within,  he  clung  steadfastly  to  the  be- 
lief that  these  trials  would  pass  away,  and  the 
future  thus  remained  one  of  hope  and  faith. 
The  noble  institution  which  now  crowns  the 
elevation  in  Burnet  Woods  testifies  to  the  cor- 
rectness of  his  hope  and  faith.  To  him,  more 
than  to  any  other  man,  is  due  the  credit  of  its 
present  secure  position. 

In  local  medical  circles  there  is  no  honor 
which  was  not  bestowed  upon  him.  No  phy- 
sician in  Cincinnati  ever  held  the  respect  and 
reverence  of  the  entire  profession  more  com- 
pletely than  did  he.  Every  physician  recog- 
nized his  true  manhood,  his  justness,  his  fair- 
ness, and  his  utter  incapability  for  anything 
small  or  mean.  His  conscientious  regard  for 
the  rights  and  privileges  of  others  often  led 
him  to  suffer  personal  loss  rather  than  to  be 
accused  of  even  *the  appearance  of  evil.'  His 
love  and  respect  for  his  profession  never  fal- 
tered ;    he  believed    in  it,  and  counted  it  the 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.   D.  95 

noblest  of  all  professions.  During  the  late 
years  of  his  life  the  veneration  of  his  chosen 
calling  led  him  to  propose  and  strenuously 
advocate  the  creation,  in  the  National  Govern- 
ment, of  a  Department  of  Public  Health,  the 
head  of  the  department  to  be  a  member  of  the 
President's  cabinet.  No  lower  position  met 
his  idea  of  what  the  necessity  of  such  a  work 
deserved. 

Dr.  Comegys  was  a  firm  believer  in  the 
tenets  of  the  Christian  religion.  His  beauti- 
ful character  showed  the  depth  of  his  belief 
far  better  than  could  anything  else.  He  did 
not  force  his  religious  beliefs  upon  others,  but 
by  a  life  of  singular  purity  demonstrated  the 
truth  of  the  religion  of  Christ. 

The  writer  enjoyed  a  very  close  and  inti- 
mate association  with  the  deceased,  and  feels 
keenly  the  loss  of  a  true,  steadfast  friend,  a 
wise  and  kindly  adviser,  a  large-hearted  mag- 
nanimous man,  and  a  noble,  earnest,  and  lov- 
ing physician. 

In  considering  our  present  bereavement  we 


96       CORNELIUS  GEORGK  COMKGYS,  M.  D. 

should  look  rather  to  the  past  than  the  pres- 
ent. We  then  see  a  long,  useful  life  spent  in 
the  service  of  his  fellow-man,  a  self-sacrifice  to 
the  duties  and  dangers  of  his  profession,  a 
character  well-rounded  by  contact  with  all 
sorts  and  conditions  of  men,  a  name  which 
shall  ever  be  hallowed  and  revered  by  those 
who  were  fortunate  enough  to  come  within 
the  sphere  of  his  influence ;  all  this  and  much 
more  may  be  seen  in  retrospect.  His  life  was 
a  triumph,  and  his  death  has  but  broadened 
and  extended  that  usefulness  which  had  but  a 
narrow  sphere  this  side  of  eternity. 

*His  life  was  gentle,  and  the  elements 

So  mixed  in  him  that  Nature  might  stand  up 

And  say  to  all  the  world,  This  is  a  man.' 


*  Written  by  Dr.  J.  C.  Oliver,  and  published  in  the  Cin- 
cinnati Tribune,  February  12,  1896. 


CORNKlvIUS   GKORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    D.  97 

WESTERN  GHRI8TIM  ADYOGflTE. 

February  12,  1896. 


Cornelius  G*  Comegys^ 

"Cincinnati  mourns  the  Nestor  of  lier  physi- 
cians,  and  our  Churcli  one  of  her  princeliest 
laymen.  At  one  o'clock,  Monday  morning, 
Dr.  Comegys  was  called  ;  not  unexpectedly, 
for  he  was  in  his  eightieth  year,  and  had 
been  seriously  ill.  Only  last  summer  the  wife 
of  his  heart,  the  gracious  and  saintly  Rebecca 
Tiffin,  daughter  of  Ohio's  first  Governor,  was 
called  from  his  side.  He  pined  for  the  ab- 
sent one ;  and  yet  maintained  an  outward 
calm,  and  suffered  alone.  It  was  during  his 
early  ventures  in  business  that  he  wooed  and 
won  her ;  and  the  gratification  of  his  profes- 
sional ambition  he  ever  ascribed  to  her  encour- 
agement and  cooperation. 

"  But  his  teaching,  and  banking,  and  mill- 
ing were  practical  and  most  useful  preparation 


98  CORNKUUS   GKORGK   COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

for  his  real  career,  upon  which  he  entered 
in  this  city  in  1848,  having  graduated 
from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  as  a 
Doctor  of  Medicine.  Bishop  Simpson  was 
then  editor  of  the  ^^  Western  Christian  Ad- 
vocate," and  young  Comegys,  attracted  by 
his  genius,  eloquence,  and  great-heartednessj 
himself  a  Methodist,  became  his  ardent  ad- 
mirer and  confidential  friend.  The  poise  and 
evident  ability  of  the  young  practitioner  won 
the  great  man's  faith  and  love,  and  the  pro- 
fessional care  of  his  family — a  recognition  of 
so  conspicuous  character  that  it  at  once  estab- 
lished the  young  doctor  in  an  enviable 
practice. 

''As  skilful  with  pen  as  with  scalpel,  young 
Comegys  recreated  as  assistant  on  the  '  Wes- 
tern/ and  when,  following  his  heroic  and  bril- 
liant cholera  practice  in  1849,  ^^  went  for 
higher  medical  learning  to  London  and  Paris, 
he  became  its  European  correspondent.  His 
interest  thus  early  formed  for  the  paper  never 
ceased,  and  occasionally,  to  the  very  end,  he 


CORNKlvIUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  99 

enriclied  its  columns  with  his  best  thoughts 
on  art  and  science,  religion  and  Church 
polity. 

'^  His  youthful  ardor  in  learning  never  left 
him  or  suffered  the  snows  of  age  to  lie  upon 
his  fertile  brain.  He  kept  his  undimmed 
eye  on  science  and  philosophy,  and  eagerly 
scanned  their  latest  achievements.  His  record 
herein  is  idyllic. 

"At  the  recent  dedication  of  Hanna  Hall,* 
University  of  Cincinnati,  he  presided  with 
courtly  grace,  and  his  address  was  remarkably 
virile,  and  comprehensive  of  the  true  aims  and 
requirements  of  a  great  modern  educational 
institution. 

''He  was  a  poem  in  clay.  No  Roman  sen- 
ator ever  presented  a  more  commanding  and 
lofty  presence.  There  was  the  unconscious 
pride  of  high  breeding  and  Revolutionary 
ancestry.     Yet  was  there  no  trace  of  vanity 


*    This  should  be  McMicken  Hall.     Hauna  Hall  vv^as  not  yet 
built.— Bd. 


lOO  CORNEIvIUS  GEORGE  COMEGYS,    M.   D. 

or  austerity.  The  reposeful  dignity  of  con- 
scious strengtli  blent  with  the  kindly  lines  of 
almost  womanly  sympathy,  and  gave  his  im- 
perial presence  a  benign  and  winning  aspect. 
His  patients  instinctively  trusted  him.  Well 
they  might,  for,  in  addition  to  his  wide  learn- 
ing and  marvelous  natural  resources,  he  never 
entered  the  sick  room  without  consultation  in 
silent  prayer  with  the  Great  Physician — a  fact 
known  only  in  the  innermost  circle  of  his 
most  sacred  friendship. 

''  He  was  a  member  and  office-bearer  in  St. 
Paul  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  whose 
sacred  temple  his  funeral  rites  are  to  be  cele- 
brated this  afternoon  by  the  pastor.  Rev.  Dr. 
Meeker,  assisted  by  the  editor*  of  this  paper, 
and  Dr.  Baker,  the  rector  of  St.  Paul's 
Episcopal  Church." 


""■'■  Rev.  D.  H.  Moore,  D.  D.  (writer  of  this  memoir). 


CORNKlylUS   GEORGE    COMEGYS,    M,    D.  lOI 

CINCINMTI  HOSPITAL. 

Death  of  Cornewus  G.  Comegys,  M.  D. 


Cincinnati,  O.,  March  6,  1896. 

The  following  was  adopted  b}^  the  Medical 
Staff  at  their  meeting  held  on  the  above  date : 

''  In  noting  the  death  of  Cornelius  G. 
Comegys,  M.  D.,  which  occurred  on  the  loth 
ultimo,  the  Medical  Staff  desires  to  record  its 
high  appreciation  of  the  abilities  and  virtues 
of  its  esteemed  member. 

''For  nearly  forty  years  Dr.  Comegys  w^as  a 
visiting  physician  to  the  Medical  Department 
of  the  Hospital,  in  which  capacity  he  mani- 
fested deep  scientific  interest  in  his  work, 
being  always  au  eourant  with  the  latest  ad- 
vances of  medical  knowledge.  He  was  tender 
and  considerate  of  those  under  his  care,  and 
earnest  and  lucid  in  his  clinical  teaching. 

''His  association  with  his  colleagues  was 
always  characterized    by   cordial    friendship. 


I02  CORNEI.IUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,   M.   D. 

Strict   professional  courtesy,    and    a   sense  of 
honor  which  marked  the  true  gentleman. 

"During  several  years  that  he  occupied  the 
position  of  President  of  the  Medical  Staff  he 
devoted  much  time  and  thought  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  interests  and   efhciency  of 

the  Hospital. 

W.  H.  Taylor,  M.  D. 
G.  A.  Fackler,  M.  D. 
Thad.  a.  Reamy,  M.  D. 
f.  forchheimer,  m.  d. 
J.  C.  Mackenzie,  M.  D." 


CORNEI.IUS  gkorge;  comkgys,  m.  d.         103 

CHRIST'S  HOSPITAL. 

RESOIyUTlONS   BY  MKDICAI,  STAFF. 


Resolutions  of  respect  to  tlie  memory  of 
C.  G.  Comegys,  M.  D.,  adopted  by  the  Medical 
Staff  of   Christ's  Hospital : 

^Whereas,  Our  Medical  Director,  C.  G. 
Comegys,  M.  D.,  has  been  called  by  a  Divine 
providence  to  a  higher  and  greater  sphere  of 
usefulness ;   and 

^'Whereas,  Christ's  Hospital  has  lost  a 
valued  friend,  a  wise  counsellor,  and  a  noble 
and  staunch  advocate  ;  be  it 

^'Resolved,  That  we,  the  members  of  the 
Medical  Staff,  desire  to  express  to  the  family 
of  the  deceased  our  great  sympathy  with  them 
in  their  bereavement ;  and 

^^Resolved,  That  Christ's  Hospital  has  lost  a 
true  and  steadfast  friend, — one  whose  zeal  for 
the  cause  has  never  wavered  ;  one  who,  since 
the  very  inception  of  the  institution,  has  stood 


I04  CORNKI^IUS  GKORGK   COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

steadfast  and  firm  in  his  devotion  to  its  inter- 
ests. When  the  days  were  dark  and  clonds 
threatened,  his  hand  steered  clear  of  the  ob- 
stacles, and  brought  the  institution  to  its 
present  safe  harbor. 

^^Resolved,  That  each  member  of  the  staff 
feels  a  sense  of  personal  loss.  He  was  loved 
and  revered  by  his  associates.  ^None  knew 
him  but  to  love  him,  none  named  him  but  to 
praise.' 

^^ Resolved^  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions 
be  published  in  the  daily  papers  ;  that  a  copy 
be  sent  to  his  family,  and  that  a  copy  be 
spread  upon  the  minutes  of  the  staff. 

J.  C.  O1.1VER,  M.  D. 

J.  M.  WiTHROW,  M.  D. 

D.  D.  Bramble,  M.  D. 

Conwiittee,^^ 


coRNE)i.ius  ge;orgk  comkgys,  m.  d.         105 


CHRIST'S  HOSPITAL. 

Extract  from  the 

AnnuaIv  Report  of  the  Secretary. 


''The  Hospital  sustained  a  great  and  irrep- 
arable loss  in  tlie  death  of  tlie  late  C.  G. 
Comegys,  wlio  had  been  prominently  identified 
with  this  institution  from  its  beginning,  and 
served  as  its  Medical  Director.  His  interest 
in  this  work  and  love  for  it  were  exceptionally 
deep  and  strong.  With  advancing  age,  he 
surrendered  nearly  all  of  the  positions  of 
honor  and  trust  he  had  held  for  many  years  ; 
but  he  determined  to  remain  with  us  to  the 
end,  or  so  long  as  the  Board  of  Trustees 
thought  it  wise.  He  named  the  Hospital, 
rejoiced  in  its  growth,  believed  in  its  great 
future,  and  never  wearied  talking  of  its 
prospects.  Forty  years  ago  he  had  urged  in 
vain  the  importance  of  this  humane  and 
churchly  activity  upon  the  attention  of   the 


I06  CORNEI.IUS   GKORGK   COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

Methodist  laity  of  this  city.  No  one  could 
have  left  us  who  would  have  been  more  missed 
from  our  counsels. 

H.  C.  Weakley, 
Corresponding   Secretary.^'' 


CORNKWUS   GKORGK  C0ME:GYS,   M.   D.  107 


UN1YER8ITY  OF  CINCINNATI. 

Resoi^utions  of  the  Board  oe  Directors  of  the  Uni- 
versity OF  Cincinnati  in  Memory  of  the 
Late  Dr.   Cornewus  G.  Comegys. 


"The  Board  of  Directors  of  the  University 
of  Cincinnati  has  sustained  a  severe  and 
grievous  loss  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Cornelius  G. 
Comegys,  who  departed  this  life  on  Monday, 
February  lo,  1896,  in  the  80th  year  of  his 
age. 

"For  many  years  he  has  been  our  colleague, 
and  for  the  past  five  years,  he  has  with  wis- 
dom and  constant  fidelity  discharged  the 
many  and  various  duties  of  the  Chairman  of 
our  Board.  His  dignity  and  cordiality  of 
manner,  his  enthusiastic  interest  in  the  devel- 
opment, advancement,  and  welfare  of  the  Uni- 
versity in  all  its  branches  of  learning,  and  his 
inspiring  personality  will  ever  be  remembered 
by  us  with  sincere  and  profound  respect. 


Io8  CORNELIUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,   M.   D. 

''His  life  was  active  and  progressive,  not 
only  in  his  professional  career  as  an  eminent 
and  successful  physician  for  almost  a  half 
century  in  this  community,  but  also  as  a  well 
informed,  broad-minded,  and  public  spirited 
citizen,  who  willingly  assumed  his  share  of 
the  responsibility  in  a  movement  made  in  this 
city  for  public  improvement ;  his  labors  in  the 
cause  of  humanity,  his  deeds  of  charity  and 
benevolence,  his  conscientious  and  effective 
work  as  a  Christian  and  active  member  of  his 
church,  his  laudable  record  as  an  earnest  and 
cordial  friend  of  our  Public  Schools,  and  as  an 
ardent  advocate  of  higher  education,  have  en- 
deared him  to  the  hearts  of  his  fellow-citizens, 
and  his  influence  for  good  will  be  enduring 
and  justly  appreciated  in  this  community  for 
all  time  to  come. 

"We  point  with  pride  to  our  new  University 
Buildings,  which  were  commenced  and  occu- 
pied for  scholastic  work  during  the  adminis- 
tration of  Dr.  Comegys  as  Chairman  of  our 
Board,  and  with  a  sense  of  real  justice,  it  is 


CORNKI.IUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    D.  lOQ 

our  pleasure  to  give  full  credit  to  him  for  his 
encouragement  in  the  consummation  of  this 
most  important  undertaking. 

^'The  following  concise  statement  gives  the 
important  incidents  of  his  busy  and  well  spent 
life : 

"He  was  born  July  23,  18 16,  at  Cherbourg, 
Delaware,  and  descended  from  patriotic  and 
distinguished  ancestors ;  his  father  w^as  gov- 
ernor of  his  native  state.  He  began  life  as  a 
country  school-teacher,  later  was  a  civil  en- 
gineer, a  bank  clerk,  and  in  1848  was  gradu- 
ated from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  as  a 
Doctor  of  Medicine.  Subsequently,  he  came 
to  Cincinnati  and  soon  obtained  a  large  and 
lucrative  practice,  and  he  stood  in  the  front 
rank  of  the  men  of  his  profession. 

''He  assisted  in  organizing  the  Miami  Med- 
ical College,  the  Cincinnati  College  of  Medi- 
cine and  Surgery,  and  at  one  time  was  identi- 
fied with  the  Medical  College  of  Ohio  as  one 
of  its  Trustees,  and  was  also  a  member  of  its 
Faculty.     He  was  one  of   the   founders  and 


no  CORNEIJUvS   GKORGE    COMKGYS,    M.    D. 

twice  President  of  the  Academy  of  Medicine,  a 
member  of  the  American  Medical  Association, 
a  member  of  the  Delaware  State  Medical  So- 
ciety, also  of  the  Western  Reserve  Historical 
Society  of  Ohio,  and  a  corporate  member  of 
the  Historical  and  Philosophical  Society  of 
the  State  of  Ohio. 

^'In  recent  years  he  was  Chairman  of  the 
Special  Committee  of  the  American  Medical 
Association  to  secure  an  Act  of  Congress  for 
the  creation  of  a  Department  of  Public 
Health,  the  secretary  of  which  was  by  the 
proposed  law  to  be  a  cabinet  officer  with  offi- 
cial position  and  powers  equal  to  those  exer- 
cised by  the  heads  of  other  national  depart- 
ments of  our  government ;  this  w^as  a  measure 
of  so  much  importance  in  his  estimation  for 
the  sanitary  and  hygienic  protection  of  our 
country  from  infectious  and  contagious  dis- 
eases, that  he  labored  unceasingly  in  its  be- 
half and  looked  forward  to  its  ultimate  accom- 
plishment with  confident  expectation.  For 
man}'   years  he  was  a   member  of   our  City 


CORNKlvIUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,    M.   D.  Ill 

School  Board,  and  also  served  as  a  member  of 
our  City  Council,  and  was  instrumental  in 
establishing  our  Night  High  School,  whose 
benefits  were  enjoyed  by  many  who  are  prom- 
inent and  influential  men  in  our  city  at  this 
time. 

"But  it  is  with  his  long  years  of  devoted 
service  as  a  member  of  the  University  Board 
we  are  most  familiar,  and  it  is  with  hearts  full 
of  sorrow  we  submit  to  the  will  of  an  All-wise 
Providence,  who  has  removed  from  this  com- 
munity, this  most  worthy  and  noble  citizen, 
and  has  terminated  the  life  of  our  esteemed 
associate  and  colleague,  who  devoted  his 
talents  and  energy  more  for  the  good  of  others 
than  for  his  own  personal  welfare  and  gain. 
We  mingle  our  grief  with  others,  who,  like 
ourselves,  knew  full  well  his  purity  of  char- 
acter, his  sincerity  of  purpose,  his  extreme 
unselfishness,  and  the  strength  of  his  personal 
friendship.     Therefore  it  is 

^^  Resolved  J  That  as  an  expression  of  our 
great   esteem   and    personal    respect   for   the 


112  CORNELIUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    D. 

memory  of  the  deceased,  these  resolutions  will 
be  spread  upon  the  minutes  of  this  meeting  of 
our  Board,  and  a  copy  of  the  same  will  be 
sent  by  the  clerk  to  the  family,  with  the 
assurance  of  our  tender  and  heartfelt  sym- 
pathy with  them  in  their  sad  bereavement, 
and  also  a  copy  be  furnished  to  the  press. 

Frank  J.  Jones, 
Isaac  M.  Wise, 
Thad.  a.  Reamy, 
W.  McAi^pin, 
Edmund  K.  Stai^i^o, 

Committee. ' ' 


CORNKI.IUS   GKORGE    COMKGYS,    M.  D.  I13 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CINCINNllTI. 

ResoIvUTions  Adopted  by  the  FacuIvTy. 


^'Whereas,  Deatli  has  removed  from  our 
midst  Dr.  C.  G.  Comegys,  the  venerable  and 
honored  President  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  this  institution  ;  therefore 

^^ Resolved^  That  in  the  uniformly  kind  and 
courteous  bearing  of  the  deceased,  in  his  moral 
earnestness,  in  his  unwearied  pursuit  of  ideal 
aims,  in  his  love  of  truth  yet  kindly  tolerance 
of  views  and  judgments  differing  from  his 
own,  we  recognize  a  character  of  rare  attract- 
iveness and  worth ;  and  that  in  his  death  we 
have  lost  a  co-worker,  counselor,  and  friend 
whom  we  deeply  respected  and  warmly  loved, 
while  this  institution  has  lost  a  zealous  and 
faithful  officer,  one  ardently  devoted  to  its 
interests,  and  of  firm  and  abiding  faith  in  its 
future. 


114  CORNELIUS   GKORGK   COMEGYS,    M.   D. 

^^ Resolved^  That  witH  profound  gratitude  we 
make  recognition  of  the  eminent  services 
which,  by  his  true  and  high  ideals  of  Univer- 
sity life  and  aims,  by  his  unwearied  watchful- 
ness and  unselfish  labors  through  long  years 
of  struggle  and  discouragement,  he  has  ren- 
dered to  the  cause  of  higher  education  in  this 
community  and  to  the  upbuilding  on  firmer 
and  broader  foundations  of  this  institution  ; 
and  that  we  hereby  express  our  conviction 
that  in  the  tradition  of  this  noble  life  our  in- 
stitution inherits  something  which  will  enter 
into  its  future  as  an  inspiring  and  moulding 
force,  being  an  incentive  and  stimulus  to  the 
young,  and  making  ever  for  richer  and  truer 
life  among  them. 

^^ Resolved^  That  these  resolutions  be  spread 
upon  the  minutes  of  the  Faculty,  that  they  be 
given  to  the  daily  press,  and  that  copies  be 
sent  to  the  Board  of  Directors  and  to  the 
family  of  the  deceased." 


CORNEI.IUS   GEORGE   COMEGYS,    M.    t>.  II5 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CINClNNflTI. 

Resoi^utions  Adopted  by  the  Students. 


^Whereas,  It  has  pleased  God  in  His 
Wisdom  to  remove  from  our  midst  one  who 
has  been  most  earnest  in  love  and  labor  for 
the  University  of  Cincinnati,  Dr.  Cornelius 
G.  Comegys  ;  and 

''Whereas,  He  has  ever  been  a  faithful 
advocate  and  defender  of  its  interests  ;  there- 
fore, 

^^Be  it  resolved,  by  the  students  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Cincinnati  in  a  general  meeting 
assembled, 

''First :  In  his  death  the  University  loses  a 
stanch  friend  and  one  to  whom  is  due,  in  great 
measure,  its  present  position  of  influence  as 
an  educational  institution. 

"Second:  That  we,  who  partake  of  the  re- 
sults of  his  labor,  mourn  his  loss  as  that  of  a 
beloved  benefactor. 


Il6  CORNELIUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,   M.    D. 

'^Third :  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions 
be  sent  to  his  bereaved  family,  as  an  expres- 
sion of  our  sympathy  ;  that  they  be  published 
in  the  daily  papers ;  that  copies  be  sent  to  the 
University  publications  ;  that  they  be  inscribed 
on  the  minutes  of  the  Executive  Committee ; 
and  that  a  copy  be  presented  to  the  Faculty. 

L,.  D.  Oliver, 
Louise  Spii<man, 
Ethel  Phillips, 
Edith  Alden, 
Malcolm  McAvoy, 
Ruth  Butterworth, 
Charles  Reinhart, 
Dudley  Palmer, 

Committee, 

SALVIA  EwAN,  Sec'y." 


CORNElvIUS   GKORGE   COMEGYS,    M.   D.  II7 


8T.  PAUL  M.  E.  CHURCH. 


"The  following  minute  was  unanimously 
adopted  by  the  Official  Board  of  St.  Paul 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  on  February  ii, 
1896: 

In  Memoriam. 

"It  is  with  deep  regret  and  profound  sorrow 
that  we  have  to  record  the  death  of  our  dear 
brother,  Dr.  C.  G.  Comegys. 

"For  nearly  half  a  century  he  had  been  a 
member  of  St.  Paul  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  for  many  years  was  an  honored 
teacher  in  the  Bible  School,  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  the 
Church. 

"He  always  took  a  great  interest  in  all 
branches  of  the  work  of  the  church  and 
school,  and  of  the  various  societies  connected 
therewith,  and  was  very  liberal  with  his  means 
for  their  support.     He  was  a  regular  attend- 


Il8  CORNKI.IUS  gkorg:^  comkgys,  m.  d. 

ant  at  all  tlie  services,  and  those  who  were 
accustomed  to  hear  him  give  his  testimony  at 
the  prayer-meeting  will  miss  his  inspiring  and 
helpful  talks,  which  came  from  a  heart  filled 
with  the  Holy  Spirit. 

^'He  was  a  typical  Christian  gentleman. 
His  consistency  of  life,  the  wisdom  of  his 
counsels,  the  fervency  of  his  prayers,  his  de- 
votion to  his  Church,  and  many  winsome 
personal  qualities  endeared  him  to  those  with 
whom  he  associated  as  a  Christian. 

"He  was  one  of  the  best  Bible  students  in 
the  city,  and  was  a  man  of  great  learning,  and 
stood  at  the  head  of  his  profession.  He  was 
greatly  interested  in  the  welfare  of  his  fellow- 
men,  and  did  all  in  his  power  to  further  those 
institutions  which  were  for  the  development 
of  mankind,  and  gave  much  time  and  thought 
to  the  question  of  lifting  the  masses  to  a 
higher  plane,  and  bringing  them  under  the 
influence  of  the  gospel. 

"He  was  of  a  cheerful  and  genial  nature, 
and  many  in  the  various  walks  of   life  will 


CORNELIUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,   M.   D.  II9 

mourn  the  loss  of  one  who  was  such  a  devoted, 
good,  broad-minded,  and  kind-hearted  man. 
No  one  knew  him  but  to  love  him,  and  no  one 
conversed  with  him  but  he  felt  a  desire  to 
knov/  more  and  to  live  a  better  life. 

'We  desire  to  convey  to  the  afflicted  family 
of  our  deceased  brother  our  sincerest  sym- 
pathy, and  we  request  that  a  copy  of  this 
minute  be  recorded  in  the  minutes  of  the 
Board,  and  a  copy  be  furnished  to  the  family. 

R.  S.  Rust, 
W.  A.  Mkgruk, 

J.  F.  WlLTSKE, 

W.  K.  Brooks, 

CommitteeJ'^ 


Rebecca  Tiffin  Comegys. 


APPENDIX. 


CORNKlvIUvS   GKORGIO   COME^GYS,    M.    t>.  1:23 


Mrs.  Rebecca  Tiffin  Comegys. 


D  EBECCA  Turner  Tiffin  was  the  youngest 
daughter  of  Dr.  Edward  Tif&n'"''  and  Mary 
Porter  (his  second  wife).  Her  father  was  one 
of  the  most  important  historical  characters  of 
this  state.  Born  in  Carlisle,  England,  on  June 
19,  1766,  he  came  to  this  country,  with  his 
parents,  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  and  set- 
tled in  Berkeley  county,  Virginia.  He  studied 
medicine  at  the  Jefferson  Medical  College, 
and  began  practice  in  Charlestown,  Virginia, 
where  he  speedily  became  prominent,  socially 
and  politically.  When  a  party  of  Virginians 
came  to  the  Territory  north-west  of  the  Ohio 
to  take  up  land,  he  was  among  them  and  set- 
tled at  Chillicothe.  While  in  Virginia  he  so 
won  the  confidence  and  friendship  of  General 


*  For  a  full  account  of  Dr.  Tiffin,  see  "Life  of  Dr.  Edward 
Tiffin,  First  Governor  of  Ohio,"  by  Col.  W.  E.  Gilmore ;  also, 
"A  History  of  Ohio,"  by  Daniel  J.  Ryan,  p.  60  and  p.  167. 


124  CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK    COMEGYS,    M.   D. 

George  Washington  as  to  receive  from  him  a 
letter  of  introduction  to  General  Arthur  St. 
Clair,  the  Governor  of  the  North-West  Terri- 
tory. Edward  Tiffin  was  a  natural  leader  in 
public  affairs,  and  when  the  Constitutional 
Convention  was  held  in  Cincinnati,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  the  formation  of  a  state,  he  was  chosen 
the  President  of  it.  When  Ohio  was  admitted 
into  the  Union,  he  was  elected  the  first  Gov- 
ernor ;  and,  at  the  close  of  his  term,  was 
re-elected  for  a  second.  He  was  also  at  various 
times — Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives of  the  Ohio  Legislature  ;  a  United  States 
Senator  from  Ohio ;  Commissioner  of  Public 
Lands  at  the  General  Land  Office  (equivalent 
to  what  is  now  known  as  the  Department  of 
the  Interior)  at  Washington,  during  Presi- 
dent Madison's  administration.  This  latter 
office  he  voluntarily  gave  up,  on  account  of 
his  desire  to  return  to  his  home,  and  took 
charge  of  the  Land  Office  in  Ohio,  which  he 
maintained  at  Chillicothe.  He  died  on  Au- 
gust 9,  1829. 


corne;i,ius  gkorge^  comkgys,  m.  d.         125 

Rebecca  Turner  Tiffin  was  born  at  Cbilli- 
cothe,  Ohio,  on  April  7,  1820,  and  lived  there 
until  her  marriage  to  Cornelius  George  Com- 
eg3^s  on  October  3,  1839.  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  years 
of  their  married  life  were  divided  between 
Lawrenceburg,  Indiana,  and  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania — though  the  longer  period  was 
passed  at  the  former  place.  She  then  returned 
with  her  husband  to  Ohio,  and  a  new  and  per- 
manent home  was  established  at  Cincinnati, 
where  she  lived  and  died. 

The  early  years  of  married  life  were  event- 
ful ones  to  the  young  wife,  who,  the  youngest 
daughter  of  the  family,  inexperienced  and 
naturally  diffident,  was  placed  in  a  new  life 
involving  strange  and  trying  conditions  ;  but 
the  inherent  strength  of  her  character  devel- 
oped vv^ith  the  exigencies  of  the  moment,  and 
the  burdens  and  cares  of  a  large  and  growing 
family  of  children  w^ere  borne  with  the  uncom- 
plaining cheerfulness  and  unselfish  affection 
which  characterized  her  nature. 

Although  naturally  domestic  in  her  disposi- 


126  CORNELIUS   GKORGK   COM^GYS,    M.    D, 

tion,  she  did  not  neglect  her  social  duties,  nor 
those  of  her  church,  to  which  her  devotion  was 
very  great.  She  had  at  an  early  age,  of  her 
own  free  will,  and  without  consultation  with 
her  family,  become  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  This  was  done  under  a 
strong  conviction  of  duty,  and  her  faith  never 
swerved  to  the  end  of  her  long  and  useful  life. 
She  engaged  much  in  the  religious  duties  and 
charitable  work  of  the  church,  and  was  one  of 
the  foremost  and  faithful  members  of  its 
societies. 

She  was  a  member  of  the  Ladies'  Home 
Missionary  Society  (later  absorbed  by  the 
Missionary  Society  of  the  M.  E.  Church),  the 
Woman's  Home  Missionary  Society,  Vice- 
President  and  a  life  member  of  the  Woman's 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  and  a  member  of  the  local  societies  of 
St.  Paul  M.  E.  Church.  When  the  Sanitary 
Commission  held  its  great  ''Fair,"  with 
branches  in  the  principal  cities  (during  one  of 
the    coldest    winters    ever     known     in     this 


CORNKLIUS   GKORGB   COMKGYS,    M.    D.  1 27 

country),  for  the  relief  of  the  soldiers  who 
were  fighting  for  their  country  in  the  Civil 
War,  she  rendered  effective  aid  in  this  noble 
work.     Her  life  was  full  of  good  deeds. 

Her  character  is  well  described  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  following  extract  taken  from  a 
resolution  passed,  at  her  death,  by  a  society  to 
which  she  was  much  attached  :  '' Gentle,  un- 
assuming, shrinking,  yet  with  a  courage  that 
would  endure  the  fires  of  persecution  if  princi- 
ples were  to  be  upheld  ;  loyal  to  conviction 
and  duty,  with  a  conscientiousness  to  be 
admired  and  emulated ;  faithful  unto  death — 
such  was  our  friend  and  sister."* 

She  diedjf  at  her  home  in  Cincinnati,  on 
Saturday,  July  13,  1895,  at  ten  minutes  to 
eleven  o'clock  at  night,  after  an  illness  which 
commenced  on  June  25.  The  funeral  took 
place  at  her  late  residence  on  Tuesday  after- 


*  Resolutions  by  the  Cincinnati  Branch  "Woman's  Foreign 
Missionary  Society."  The  verses  used  in  the  dedication  are  also 
taken  from  these  "resolutions." 

t  Cause  of  death,  "cerebral  embolism," 


128  CORNKI.IUS   GKORGK   COMKGYS,   M.    D. 

noon,  July  i6,  1895,  at  two  o'clock.  In  the 
absence  of  tlie  pastor  of  St.  Panl  M.  E. 
Chnrch,  Rev.  D.  H.  Moore,  D.  D.,  editor  of 
the  "Western  Christian  Advocate,"  assisted  by 
Rev.  F.  W.  Bope,  assistant  minister  of  St. 
Paul's  P.  E.  Church,  conducted  the  services, 
which  were  simple,  but  impressive.  Rev.  Dr. 
Moore  read  a  brief  account  of  the  life  of  the 
deceased,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Bope  read  the  burial 
service.  The  hymns,  "By  Cool  Siloam's 
Shady  Rill,"  and  "Asleep  in  Jesus,"  were 
sung  by  Mrs.  Jeannie  S.  Healy.  The 
burial  at  Spring  Grove  Cemetery  was  private 
— onl}^  the  family  and  relatives  being  present. 
Rev.  Dr.  Moore  read  the  committal  at  the 
grave. 


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Comegys 

Cornelius  George  Comegys,  M.  D. 

ol3 

